Drew Powell (American football)

In his first season at Livingstone, Powell earned the starting job almost immediately. In his first game, Powell passed for 343 yards and had four passing touchdowns. In his freshman season in 2012, Powell played in nine games, went 197-for-349 passing for 2,322 passing yards, and 18 touchdowns to five interceptions. Powell was named Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Rookie of the Year. He was also named to the CIAA All-Rookie Team.[3] In his second season in 2013, Powell went 180-for-334 for 2,129 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.[4]

In their first game in 2014, Powell passed for 256 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also added 21 rushing attempts for 75 yards and a touchdown.[5] He was named Week 1 CIAA Quarterback Player of the Week.[6] In their game against Paine College, Powell ran for 92 yards and five total touchdowns. On September 17, Powell was named Quarterback of the Week again for the conference.[7] Against Bowie State University, Powell had 329 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, and 94 rushing yards. For the third week in a row, Powell was named Quarterback of the Week.[8] Powell finished the season with 184 completions, 333 passing attempts, 2,419 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, 15 interceptions, as well as 784 rushing yards, and six rushing touchdowns. On November 14, Powell was named First-Team All-CIAA.[9]

In 2015, Powell went into his last season at Livingstone. On October 31, Powell threw for 364 yards and four total touchdowns. He was named conference Quarterback of the Week for his performance.[10] Powell finished the season with 184 completions on 315 attempts, 2,166 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, as well as 155 rushing attempts, 614 rushing yards, and eight rushing touchdowns. On November 11, Powell was named CIAA Offensive Player of the Year and All-CIAA First-Team.[11] Powell played in the 2015 Euro-American Challenge, earning himself the game's MVP in the process. He was also given an honorable mention as a Boxtorow HBCU All-American.[12]

Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association

• Passing completions in a single season: 197 (2012)
• Passing attempts in a single season: 349 (2012)
• Yards of total offense in a single season: 3,203 (2014)

In 2016, Powell signed his first professional contract with the Sydney Express of the National Gridiron League (NGL) in Australia.[13]

On January 8, 2017, Powell was signed by the Sioux Falls Storm of the Indoor Football League (IFL).[14] Powell did not just play as a quarterback, but as well as running back, wide receiver, defensive back, and return specialist. Powell appeared in seven games for the Storm totaling two completions for 25 yards, six rushing attempts for six yards, a rushing touchdown, six receptions for 83 yards, and three receiving touchdowns. Powell was then released.[15]

On May 24, 2017, Powell signed with the Nebraska Danger after starting quarterback Patrick McCain went down with an injury.[15]

In his first career professional start, Powell completed nine passes on 16 attempts for 142 yards and two touchdowns as well as 81 rushing yards and an additional touchdown on the ground.[16] Powell's breakout game came in Week 16 when he went 16-for-25 for 145 yards, and a touchdown while having 102 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns against the Cedar Rapids Titans.[17] Powell was awarded his first-ever IFL Offensive Player of the Week Award for his efforts.[18] Powell ended the season on a high note, being awarded Week 18 Offensive Player of the Week for tying a franchise record of five rushing touchdowns.[19] With a win in the season finale, the Danger qualified for the Intense Conference Championship game with a 9–7 record. Powell ended the season with Nebraska having 54 completions on 81 attempts for 564 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions as well as 49 rushing attempts for 334 yards and 13 touchdowns.

In the Conference Championship, Powell finished 14-for-22 for 129 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions while rushing for an additional touchdown. Despite this performance, the Danger lost to the Arizona Rattlers, 36–62.[20]

On October 8, 2017, Powell signed with the Iowa Barnstormers of the Indoor Football League (IFL).[21]

Powell made his Barnstormers debut on February 25, 2018, against the Green Bay Blizzard. He had 20 completions on 26 attempts for 208 yards, four touchdowns, as well as 48 rushing yards. He would be awarded the IFL Offensive Player of the Week Award for his efforts.[22]

On April 24, 2018, the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) signed Powell to their mini-camp roster. On April 26, Powell was released.[23]

Returning to the Barnstormers on May 5, Powell rushed for his first 100-yard rushing performance against the Sioux Falls Storm.[24] On June 2, Powell rushed for 129 yards and two touchdowns, earning his second Offensive Player of the Week Award of the season.[25][22] On June 8, Powell went 17-for-19, 166 yards, and five passing touchdowns, earning his second straight Offensive Player of the Week Award.[22] He finished the 2018 season leading the league in completion percentage (68.1), rushing attempts (191), rushing yards (945), and rushing touchdowns (23). His 945 rushing yards were second-best and the most by any quarterback in league history. Powell won his first IFL Most Valuable Player Award and was a First-Team All-IFL selection.[26]

In the first round of the playoffs, Powell threw for 111 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 48 yards and three touchdowns. The Barnstormers would defeat the Nebraska Danger, 48–17.[27] They played the Storm in the 2018 United Bowl. Powell passed for 178 yards and four touchdowns as well as rushing for 48 yards and a touchdown. Powell led the Barnstormers to a 42–38 victory and their first United Bowl victory.[28]

On October 2, 2018, Powell was signed by Saskatchewan to their practice squad following the IFL season. On October 25, Powell was again released.[23]

Before the 2019 AFL season, Powell was announced as one of the eight players assigned to the Atlantic City Blackjacks.[29] Despite being added to the active roster, Powell did not play a single game in the Arena Football League (AFL). On April 19, 2019, Powell was placed on a recallable reassignment but was never reassigned to the team's active roster.[30]

On April 24, 2019, Powell signed with the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League (IFL). Despite being signed midway through the season, Powell was an instant starting caliber quarterback for the Rattlers.[31]

In his Rattlers debut, Powell took over for Arizona's starting quarterback, Jeff Ziemba, in the second quarter against the Nebraska Danger. Powell finished the game 8-for-10 for 96 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, one interception, 63 rushing yards, and three rushing touchdowns.[32] He earned the starting job in the Rattlers' next game against the San Diego Strike Force, where he threw for 152 yards and four touchdowns as well as running for 104 yards and five rushing touchdowns, winning the game 84–63. In his third game against the Tucson Sugar Skulls, Powell went 13-for-15 on 180 passing yards and five passing touchdowns as well as two rushing touchdowns.[33] In his next game, Powell was subbed out of the game in the third quarter in a 56–0 blowout of the Cedar Rapids River Kings.[34] Powell finished the 2019 season with 62 completions on 84 attempts for 807 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also finished with 13 rushing touchdowns in only six games.[35]

In the semifinals, Powell went 12-for-16 passing with 110 yards and two interceptions. He also added 91 yards rushing and three touchdowns. They defeated his old team, the Nebraska Danger, 62–45. In the 2019 United Bowl, Powell had 166 yards passing, two passing touchdowns, 27 rushing yards, and a rushing touchdown. The Rattlers would fall short of their championship run after the game ended in a 56–53 loss.

Powell rejoined the Rattlers for the 2021 IFL season after sitting out during the 2020 lockout season.

In the first game of the season, Powell led the Rattlers to a victory over the newest IFL team, the Northern Arizona Wranglers, 51–20. He went 8-for-9 for 90 yards and a touchdown. In Week 7, Powell earned his first Offensive Player of the Week Award of the season when he passed for 173 yards, five touchdowns, and an interception. On July 31, Powell set a career-high for rushing touchdowns in a season with 24, passing the mark of 23 that he set in 2018. On July 31, Powell broke the Rattlers' single-season rushing touchdowns record when he recorded five rushing touchdowns against the Duke City Gladiators. On August 13, Powell broke the Rattlers' single-season rushing record of 773 yards with his 59-yard performance bringing his total to 815 yards.

Powell finished the season leading the league in completion percentage (69.4), rushing attempts (137), rushing yards (902), and rushing touchdowns (35). His 35 rushing touchdowns broke the league record. Powell was awarded Second Team All-IFL honors as well as his second IFL Most Valuable Player Award.

In the first round of the playoffs, Powell threw for 170 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for two more touchdowns. He helped the Rattlers defeat the Sioux Falls Storm, 69–42. In the semifinals, Powell had a touchdown and an interception passing while rushing for 98 yards and three touchdowns. They defeated the Duke City Gladiators, 58–55. The Rattlers faced the Massachusetts Pirates in the 2021 United Bowl. In the game, Powell had 136 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and two interceptions as well as running for 70 yards and three touchdowns. Powell would watch the last play from the sidelines as Pirates' kicker, Garrett Hartley, made a 31-yard field goal to win the game, 37–34.

On August 23, 2022, Powell signed as an American to the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL).[36] Powell was then released on September 1.[37]

After his second stint in the CFL, Powell signed on to play with the Arizona Rattlers for the 2023 IFL season.[38]

Two games into the season, Powell suffered an upper-body injury. He would subsequently be placed on short-term IR just days later. Jorge Reyna, who was previously on the San Diego Strike Force, was slotted in as the team's starting quarterback. The Rattlers also signed IFL Hall of Famer Chris Dixon as the team's backup.[39] On May 11, the Rattlers announced that Powell was cleared to play in their Week 9 contest against the Vegas Knight Hawks.[40] In his first game since injury, Powell had an impressive game with 206 passing yards, four passing touchdowns (one interception), 38 rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns in a 54–55 loss.[41]

In his second game back against the Northern Arizona Wranglers, Powell had eight total touchdowns (four passing, four rushing) in their dominating 60–34 win.[42] The Rattlers would improve to 5–4 on the season after defeating the Vegas Knight Hawks, 63–39. During the game, Powell scored his 81st career rushing touchdown in a Rattlers uniform, tying the franchise record for most rushing touchdowns. He would also be subbed out of the game late in the fourth quarter for Jorge Reyna.[43] A week later, Powell broke the record with his 82nd rushing touchdown. During that game, Powell had a total of eight total touchdowns (five passing, three rushing) for the second time in the season.[44] Powell earned Week 12 Offensive Player of the Week.[45]

In Week 13, Powell had four passing touchdowns and a career-tying five rushing touchdowns to earn him back-to-back Offensive Player of the Week Awards.[46] In Week 15, Powell earned his third Offensive Player of the Week Award in four weeks when he had six passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown.[47] In Week 16, Powell passed for a total of four passing touchdowns bringing his total on the season to 40, making it the second time that he recorded 40 or more passing touchdowns in a season. In Week 18, Powell and company got their 9th-straight win in a 55–39 performance over the Northern Arizona Wranglers, clinching them the top seed in the Western Conference in the process.[48]

Powell led the league in completion percentage (69.5) and passer rating (199.1). He also had 2,048 passing yards on 164 completions and 236 attempts, as well as 43 touchdowns to four interceptions, and 25 rushing touchdowns. He was named All-IFL Second-Team and IFL Offensive Player of the Year.[49] In the first round of the playoffs, the Rattlers lost to the Wranglers, 62–53.[50]

Powell again re-signed with the Rattlers for the 2024 IFL season on August 14, 2023.[51]