Powell-Ryland, Lane among Hokies who flourish at Shrine, Senior BowlPowell-Ryland, Lane among Hokies who flourish at Shrine, Senior Bowl
Football

Powell-Ryland, Lane among Hokies who flourish at Shrine, Senior Bowl

Former Tech athletes showcase their talents before reaching the next level

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BLACKSBURG – While the football season has ended in Blacksburg, former Hokies are continuing to show how valuable they can be in pre-draft bowl games. Six Hokies, including wide receivers Jaylin Lane and Da’Quan Felton, running back Bhayshul Tuten, cornerback Dorian Strong and defensive lineman Aeneas Peebles at the Reese’s Senior Bowl and defensive lineman Antwaun Powell-Ryland at the East-West Shrine Bowl, used last week’s opportunities to feature the skills that were sharpened over their final seasons in maroon and orange. In both practices and the contests, Hokies showed why they can’t be missed in the NFL draft this April. 

Defensive Lineman Antwaun Powell-Ryland 

Powell-Ryland was a force to be reckoned with in the 2024 season, racking up a monstrous 16 sacks, 43 total tackles and 110 total lost yards. While he was the only Hokie absent at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, Powell-Ryland made his presence known at the 100th East-West Shrine Bowl in Arlington, Texas. Through a week of practices, the former Hokie brought his patented defensive spin move on unsuspecting offensive lineman, disorienting opponents and capitalizing when scouts were in attendance. Powell-Ryland, who was ranked No. 44 in the top 100 college football athletes of the country per ESPN, proved why he can be an asset to any NFL defensive front. 

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Wide Receiver Jaylin Lane 

Lane was one of five Hokies attending the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama over the weekend. As one of 16 receivers at the pre-draft showcase, the former Hokie excelled primarily in 1-on-1 drills, flashing moments of brilliance through twitchy offensive speed and “natural hands” according to NFL analyst Daniel Jeremiah. One of the wideout’s most impressive moments of the week came in the first day of 1-on-1 drills, using a hesitation move to fly past Iowa State defensive back Darien Porter and secure an endzone grab over his left shoulder. Lane also flexed his lateral movement on a slant move that demonstrates his value over the middle of the field (88.9 receiving grade in passes of 10-19 yards this season per Pro Football Focus). 

Lane also found success during the game on Feb. 1. The Clover, South Carolina native saw his name called on an impressive fourth-down conversion with 6:18 left in the second quarter, securing a pass from Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough over the middle for a 19-yard catch. As Lane prepares for the NFL Combine later this month and the NFL Draft in April, Hokie fans can be confident that the wideout turned heads with his play this past weekend.  

Cornerback Dorian Strong 

Strong had a collection of solid reps throughout practice sessions at the Senior Bowl. In man coverage against an assortment of Senior Bowl wideouts, the former Hokie excelled by displaying a combination of elite speed and a knack for high-pointing the ball when it comes to him. Strong had another impressive year last season, posting two interceptions, eight pass deflections and a 75.0 coverage grade according to PFF. The Upper Marlboro, Maryland native was also recognized as PFF’s top performer in his position after the week’s action wrapped up. 

Defensive Lineman Aeneas Peebles 

Peebles left Blacksburg with 6.5 TFLs for 28 yards over 12 games in 2024. The former graduate student continued to use last season’s momentum for the better, showcasing his ability to effortlessly shift past offensive linemen and wreak havoc on offenses. In the contest, Peebles tallied one tackle for loss with even more impressive plays at practice days before the game on Feb. 1. 

For Hokie fans who had the pleasure of watching Peebles last season, his performance doesn’t come as a surprise. The interior defender posted career highs in pass rushing (91.2), overall defense (89.3) and rush defense grades (78.5) last season, including an impressive No. 7 national ranking amongst interior defenders according to PFF.

Running Back Bhayshul Tuten 

After achieving an impressive 6.3 yards per carry in 2024, Tuten continued to impress over the week at the Senior Bowl. The Paulsboro, New Jersey native showcased the tempo that Hokie fans grew to love last season, penetrating the defense on multiple occasions for large offensive gains in practice. Additionally, Tuten’s ability to serve as a receiver was present throughout the weekend, demonstrating that the record-breaker can serve as a Swiss army knife for a team needing running back depth.  

The former Hokie also caught the attention of NFL scouts in Alabama. NFL Draft Analyst Tony Pauline recognized Tuten’s skills early: “He’s one of the most explosive running backs in Mobile...his ability to quickly cut back against the grain without losing momentum was impressive.”  

Wide Receiver Da’Quan Felton 

The second of two Tech wideouts at the Senior Bowl, Felton had himself a solid a week in Mobile, Alabama. The 6-foot-5 receiver saw most of his impact in the game compared to Lane, hauling in a touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter from Louisville’s Shough. The reception, which demonstrated the former graduate student’s ability to separate in man coverage, gave the National squad a 17-8 lead in the contest. While the snag wasn’t enough in the eventual 22-19 loss, Felton’s play serves as an indicator of what the Portsmouth, Virginia native can bring at a professional level.