Interview: Wake Forest 2017 QB Commit Taylor Powell Picking Up again as Best in Arkansas

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

At the end of the 2015 Arkansas high school football season, few could argue against Taylor Powell being the best in the state. The Fayetteville High School standout guided the Bulldogs back to the state championship game this time claiming top honors. Beyond bringing home another addition for the school’s trophy case, Powell threw for 3,594 yards hitting receivers on 49 scoring plays. Powell had an eye popping 189.6 QB Rating and added six rushing scores to pad the resume.

Powell is back for his senior season and shows no signs of letting up on the competition in 2016.

Fayetteville is off to a 2-0 star after putting together a 13-2 run a year ago. The early season wins includes downing visiting Blue Springs (MO) 26-21 and a road trip to a tough central Arkansas squad in Bryant, winning 43-10. Against Blue Springs (Class 6), currently ranked No. 2 in the state by MaxPreps, Powell connected on 19 of 31 passes for 250 yards with three touchdowns and covered an extra 25 yards on the ground. Against Bryant, he stayed consistent completing 17 of 29 passes for 233 yards with three scores but managed two rushing touchdowns in the big win.

Powell was a magnet for post-season honors earning the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Top Offensive Player of the Year, the Little Rock Touchdown Club’s 7A Player of the Year, and USA Today’s Arkansas Offensive Player of the Year. The Bulldogs schedule is loaded with tough games including a road trip to Dallas this weekend to face Bishop Dunne. After Dunne, Fayetteville still has to play against Bentonville, Har-Ber, and Springdale before reaching the playoffs in hopes of defending their title. If all goes well again in 2016, Powell’s awards and accolades will more than double in the post-season.

The recruiting rush for the 6-1.5, 202 pound, pro-style quarterback, who can run as needed, hit a high of 16 going into June. In June, Powell ended his recruitment when he verbally committed to Wake Forest, a team on the rise in the ACC.

In a Recruiting News Guru stylized interview, I sat down with Powell to go over his early season success, preview the Bulldogs next game against Dunne, and received an update on his recruiting process.

Interview

Taylor, what all did you work on this off-season to prepare for your senior year?

“I really prepared for the Rivals and Elite 11 camps over the summer. After the camps, I tried to gain weight and gain more muscle. I worked on getting faster and quicker. I spent time with our new receivers and the young guys coming up. I’m still working on our timing three games into the season.”

What are some of the things you have improved upon with your game from last year to this year?

“I really think from last year to this year I am more of a threat running. Last year I could extend plays with my legs but this year I can make defenses pay when I run. I can extend the run vertically too.”

Since you have gotten faster, did you run a 40-yard dash this summer?

“I have not been timed in the 40 in a while. I just know I am faster and quicker in the pocket, and I am more elusive.”

Two games into the season, are you happy with your play on the field thus far?

“Yeah, I feel like each week I can improve on something, but overall I am pleased with my performance. I think we can keep getting better as a team. I was not unhappy with my play against Bryant, I was still pleased with my performance, but there is no telling how good we can be if we play to our full potential each week.”

How does the team look so far this season?

“I think we’re looking pretty good going into the last non-conference game before conference. We are where we need to be. We are looking for progress not instant change. We try to improve each week. Our receivers are making plays and the line is stepping up. The best part of our team is our defense.”

It is early in the week but have you already started preparing for Bishop Dunne?

“Yeah, I have. This Saturday I watched some film on them and some on my downtime. Tomorrow I will watch a lot of film with my coaches. I will get a game plan and we will prepare to go down there and win a ball game.”

What type of challenge does Dunne present for you?

“They are really a big time challenge. They have several D-I players on defense. They are fast and athletic and they cover well. That means we will have to be on time and accurate. Beating Dunne is a task that we can handle but it will be a tough task to handle.”

Beyond Dunne, what other games on the schedule are you looking forward to playing?

“We look forward to the same games everyone else looks forward to, but honestly, the fans look at the schedule and say ‘we can’t wait for this game.’ If we don’t win each game leading to that one game everyone is looking forward to it will not be relevant if we lose. We have to take it one week at a time to be relevant throughout the season. We have some games that will be hyped and are a good match-up for us.”

Switching over to recruiting. Have you received any new offers since you committed to Wake?

“No schools have offered me since I committed to Wake.”

Are you taking any of your official visits to other schools?

“No. I am 100 percent committed to Wake.”

When are you taking your official to Wake?

“I think all of the commits come in on the same day, a day in January. I’m not sure of the date.”

Do you have any unofficial visits to Wake planned?

“I have unofficially visited Wake twice so far. I plan on taking another unofficial for the Syracuse game (Oct. 8).”

Are you helping recruit any players to join you in Winston-Salem?

“Honestly right now I think we only need one corner and an offensive lineman and our class is done. The coaches have not really asked me to help recruit any other players. I helped with Michael Allen (four-star) defensive end from Georgia (Sugar Hill) and Jaquarii Robinson, he’s a wide receiver from North Carolina. All the big time guys we got, they asked me to go after them and I did. I have not been told to recruit any other guys right now.”

Even though Wake’s class is almost full, this message could go to the 2018 class and so on, what message do you have for perspective recruits interest in Wake?

“What I would say, as you can tell by the win against Duke (24-14), look at how they won and where it is going. I think I heard this on ESPN, if you were to buy stock on any college football team right now it would be Wake Forest. Wake Forest is in one of the best conferences and best divisions in the country. You get to play against teams like Clemson, Louisville, and Florida State. The recruiting classes are get better each year. This one (2017) is the highest rated in years. The facilities will be top notch by the time the 2017 class gets on campus. The program is only going up. If you want to be at a program on the rise, that would be Wake.”

Well said. Taylor, thanks for your time today and good luck against Bishop Dunne.

“Thank you.”

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Photo credit: arkansasoline.com; No. 7 Taylor Powell rifles one downfield.

Photo credits: democrat-gazette; No. 7 Taylor Powell in the pocket.