This is the second of a seven-part series looking at the seven former Penn State football players who will attend the NFL Scouting Combine, which runs Feb. 22-28 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Name: Chaz Powell
Hometown: New Freedom, Pa.
Position: Cornerback
Age: 24
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 205 pounds
40 time: 4.48 seconds
2011 stats: Defense: 41 tackles (29 solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, two pass break-ups, four pass deflections.
Special teams: 27 kick returns, 733 yards, one touchdown.
Career stats: Defense: 55 tackles (37 solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, seven pass break-ups, nine pass deflections.
Offense: 18 carries, 147 yards, two touchdowns, 33 catches, 414 yards, three touchdowns.
Special teams: 73 kick returns, 1,866 yards, two touchdowns, one punt return, minus-3 yards.
Position rank: 50
Overall rank: 467
CBSSports.com’s Rob Rang’s draft projection: Undrafted free agent
Rob Rang’s analysis: Rang sees Powell making his biggest impact at the next level in the return game. At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, that size is really intriguing to teams. We’re going to see more and more NFL teams go to a press cover scheme because it seems like that’s one of the few ways teams are able to slow down the spread offenses. When you have a corner who has Powell’s size, that’s intriguing. There’s technical work that’s going to have to be done. I don’t see the ball skills to warrant a move back to receiver. He’s got some upside to him because people still don’t know where he is. He does have legitimate speed at that size.
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