Arkansas goes 2 for 2, landing Ohio LB Mani Powell
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Arkansas received a double-dose of good news Friday afternoon.
Just hours after defensive back Jaylen Lewis went public with his commitment to Arkansas, linebacker Mani Powell has done the same.
The Ohio native picked the Razorbacks over a top six that also featured Michigan, Indiana, West Virginia, Syracuse and Toledo. He is the 14th commitment in Arkansas’ 2022 recruiting class.
A three-star prospect from Canton, Ohio, Powell is coming off a season in which he made 81 tackles, including 14 for loss and four sacks, plus notched seven quarterback pressures and two forced fumbles.
Also a standout wrestler and thrower (discus and shotput) in track and field, Powell is listed at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds and reported 17 total offers, including from SEC foes Kentucky and Ole Miss.
It isn’t very often that the Razorbacks reach into the Buckeye State for football players. In fact, if Powell sticks, he’s believed to be the first player from Ohio to sign with Arkansas since 1981.
That class featured quarterback Mark Calcagni from Youngstown and running back Jim Koch from nearby Saint Mary’s. Calcagni and older brother Ron Calcagni are probably the most well known Ohioans to play for the Razorbacks and they were brought to Fayetteville by former head coach Lou Holtz, who grew up in Ohio.
Powell is the second linebacker in Arkansas’ 2022 class, joining Shiloh Christian’s Kaden Henley. The Razorbacks are looking to replenish the room in anticipation of losing Grant Morgan, Hayden Henry and Deon Edwards, as well as possibly Bumper Pool, after this season.
This week has been busy for Arkansas, as it started out by landing four-star defensive end Nico Davillier - an in-state prospect from Maumelle - on Sunday and ended it by landing Powell and Lewis, a high three-star defensive back from Tennessee.
With a 5.6 rating, Powell’s commitment adds 75 points to Arkansas’ total, moving it up seven spots and into ninth in the Rivals team recruiting rankings. It is also third among SEC teams, behind only LSU and Georgia.
This could potentially be the start of a big month of July for the Razorbacks, as athlete Anthony Brown and tight end Tyrus Washington are also scheduled to announce later this month. Linebacker Jordan Crook, outside linebacker Jaylon White and defensive end Trey Fite could be nearing decisions, as well.