Virginia Tech recruited defensive end Antwaun Powell-Ryland out of high school. The Hokies were three years removed from signing Devon Hunter, the No. 2 player in the Commonwealth from Indian River in the 2017 class, and honed in on the next top prospect from that school.
However, Powell-Ryland, the No. 4 recruit in Virginia in the 2020 class from Portsmouth, per the 247Sports Composite, was heavily pursued. And despite taking three visits to Blacksburg, including an official in June 2019, he chose Florida over Tech. Oklahoma, Michigan, North Carolina and Duke were some of the other suitors.
But that first unofficial visit to Virginia Tech — Oct. 6, 2018 for Tech’s top-25 primetime showdown vs. No. 6 Notre Dame — remained ingrained in his memory. Those feelings rushed back when he entered the transfer portal and Brent Pry and the Hokies reached out.
That familiarity helped Tech land Powell-Ryland, also known around the facility as “APR,” in May.
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