Powell can be versatile for the Gators

Megan Gannon, ESPN Radio

Thirty-six seconds left in the game, down by a touchdown, fourth and 12, 35 yards to the goal line.  The quarterback throws a quick slant which is caught for a first down.  The defense blanked on this play so the offense ran it again.  The result: the game winning touchdown!

The hero of this game is none other than Florida commit, Jeremi Powell of Pinellas Park High School.

But it wasn’t always that glorious for Jeremi. During his freshman year, his team was 0-10 and going nowhere. Then there was a coaching change and Kenny Crawford arrived for the 2009 season and the rebuilding began. Even though the Patriots went 5-5 for the next two years, Powell’s stats began to improve and he became a player to watch not only for his speed but also for his versatility…he is extremely effective on both sides of the ball. Powell believes his strength lies in rushing the passer and keeping to the outside.  “Jeremi can do everything,” Coach Crawford said.  “Colleges just like him on offense and defense. Really, they just like him as a football player.”

During the 2011 season, Powell had 14 sacks, 24 tackles for a loss, four forced fumbles, two recoveries, three pass break-ups, 21 quarterback pressures and two blocked kicks. But that’s only half of it. On the offensive side, he had 40 rushes for 405 yards, 10 pass catches for 244 yards, and 11 touchdowns. It is not surprising that Powell has received offers from schools such as Purdue, Iowa State, South Carolina and USF. However, he committed to Florida last February where he will strictly play linebacker.

Pinellas Park High School’s football program has gone through a remarkable transformation during Jeremi Powell’s time there. Not all of it was due to his prowess. However, he has to take some satisfaction out of the fact that he contributed to bringing the Patriots from 0-10 to 7-3 and 2^nd in their district in three short years. Its talent like his that bodes well for the 2012 recruiting class at Florida.

Megan Gannon is a freshman Telecommunication major at the University of Florida. She is a football/high school recruiting writer for ESPN Radio (Gainesville/Ocala). Megan also serves as a correspondent for "The Mark McLeod Show." You can follow her on Twitter @MegGannon.