From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Central Arkansas running back ShunDerrick Powell.
No. 27 SHUNDERRICK POWELL, RB, CENTRAL ARKANSAS (SENIOR) – 5071, 175 POUNDS
HULA BOWL PARTICIPANT
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| ShunDerrick Powell | 5071/175 | 8 7/8 | 30 3/8 | 73 1/4 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
THE GOOD
— Possesses good speed and explosiveness for the position
— Has the burst to hit the home run when he gets into the open field
— Accelerates quickly up the hole when he sees daylight
— Displays good vision and patience to set up his blocks
— Has the lateral quickness and agility to work through trash approaching the line
— Evades tacklers with a combination of elusiveness and contact balance
— Finds his way out of trouble well for a smaller back
— Proven pass catcher out of the backfield
— Can quickly adjust his trajectory to hit a crease or work around pursuit
THE BAD
— Tiny frame with a lack of desired bulk
— Played at a lower level of competition
— Will have a tough time seeing as many openings against NFL defenses
— Small frame will make it hard to fight for additional yards on contact
— Pass protection at his size will be a concern
BIO
— Senior prospect from Hoxie, AR
— Sport Management major
— Broke the Hoxie school record for most rushing yards in a game (350)
— Also lettered in basketball
— Zero-star recruit according to Rivals
— Committed to North Alabama out of high school
— Can safety bar squat 495 pounds on one leg
— Played in 11 games in 2021 and had 30 carries for 154 yards, along with eight receptions for 76 yards
— Played in 11 games in 2022 and had 221 carries for 1,513 yards and 18 touchdown,s along with 24 receptions for 242 yards
— Transferred to Central Arkansas ahead of the 2023 season
— Played in 11 games in 2023 and hard 136 carries for 1,016 yards and six touchdowns, along with 20 receptions for 111 yards and a score
— Battled a hamstring injury throughout the 2023 season
— Played in 11 games in 2024 and had 163 carries for 1,334 yards and 14 touchdowns, along with 36 receptions for 318 yards and three scores
— Returned 11 punts for 269 yards in his career
— FCS All-American (2022)
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Central Arkansas RB ShunDerrick Powell may be small in stature, but don’t let that fool you into thinking he can be a playmaker on the gridiron. Powell has been productive with the ball in his hands since high school, going for over 350 yards in one game and taking that same explosiveness to the college level for North Alabama and Central Arkansas, rushing for over 1,000 yards in three of his four seasons.
When you pop in the tape on Powell, you see a dynamic runner with the juice to go the distance when he sees daylight. Watch Powell get lost in the clips below against Central Arkansas and North Dakota State. Following his blocks into the second level, he shows off his speed and acceleration to pull away from the defense in pursuit of the long house call.
Powell is far more than just a speedster with the ball in his hands. He’s about as elusive as they come, playing the “Houdini” role well to opposing defenders who think they have him one moment, and the next, he’s evaded the tackle and continuing his rush. Watch the clips below of Powell evading tackle attempts from the Bison, ducking under and juking out defenders in the first clip while jumping out of a tackle attempt in the second clip to finish both runs for touchdowns.
Powell has good contact balance for being only 5071, 175 pounds. His low center of gravity allows him to stay upright on body shots and keep his legs churning on contact. Watch this play against NDSU, where Powell spins out of a tackle attempt in the hole and fights for additional yardage at the end of the run.
One of Powell’s best qualities as a runner is his patience and vision at the line of scrimmage. He does a good job reading his blocks and letting holes open up in front of him, hitting it hard with juice after working laterally. Watch this run against Arkansas State, where Powell takes the handoff and works laterally from side to side until a hole opens up, turning on the jets as he evades multiple tackle attempts on his way into the end zone for the score.
Even when he’s dead-to-rights and has nowhere to go in the backfield, Powell has that it-factor to turn nothing into something. Watch the clips below against Oklahoma State, where Powell gets bottled up in the backfield against the Cowboys but relies on his lateral agility and vision to evade the defense and find an opening to pick up the first down on a play that should have gone for a loss.
CONCLUSION
ShunDerrick Powell is an undersized yet gifted runner who will miss the measurable benchmarks for many teams, but he has the skill set to contribute in this league for the team that takes a shot at him. His speed, burst, evasiveness, and vision make him a human joystick with the ball in his hands, capable of making fireworks happen when he touches the ball. He would be best served in a committee role as a third-down/scat back, playing against lighter boxes where his receiving skill set can shine.
When I came up with a pro comp for Powell, his size and running style looked eerily similar to Barry Sanders’s. However, a more realistic comp for me is Tarik Cohen, an undersized back from a small school who found success in the league as an elusive runner and pass catcher in a committee. I think Powell can have similar success and deserves to get drafted somewhere on Day 3 to provide an offense with a player who can give them a spark.
Projection: Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 7.3 Rotational Player (4th Round)
Games Watched: at Arkansas State (2024) at Oklahoma State (2023), at NDSU (2023)
