Receiver, Clemson, 2016–⁠20

Cornell Powell

Number
No. 17
Height
6′0″
Weight
210 lb
Class (2020)
Senior
Hometown
Greenville, NC
Born
Oct 30, 1997

Cornell Powell played receiver at Clemson (2016–⁠20). The Kansas City Chiefs took Powell in round 5, No. 181 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.

At a glance

Best season
882
Receiving yards, 2020 (Clemson, 10–⁠2)
Drafted
No. 181
Round 5, 2021 NFL Draft (Kansas City Chiefs)

Career highs

11catches, career highvs. Boston College, 2020176receiving yards, career highvs. Pittsburgh, 20202receiving touchdowns, career highvs. Ohio State, 2020

Team titles: National champions, 2016 and 2018; ACC champions, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020

Receiving

Receiving yards, season by season, with his team’s record
SeasonTeamRecYdsAvgTDLong
2016Clemson12877.3018
2017Clemson8577.1114
2018Clemson56312.6042
2019Clemson151228.1226
2020Clemson5388216.6770
Career931,21113.01070

Returns

SeasonTeamKRYdsTDPRYdsTD
2016Clemson–––100
2017Clemson3650–––
2018Clemson41170–––
2020Clemson1150–––
Career81970100

Defense

SeasonTeamTklSoloTFLSacksPDHur
2017Clemson320000
2020Clemson330000
Career650000

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls. A dash: the source has no number for that season (often an FCS season), and career totals count only the numbers on file.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2016Clemson17WRYr 1
2017Clemson17WRYr 2
2018Clemson17WRYr 3
2019Clemson17WRYr 4
2020Clemson17WRSr. (Yr 5)6′0″210

As each season’s roster listed the player (CollegeFootballData). Classes before the latest listing are counted back from it; “Yr 1” is the year on file where that count can’t place a season he played (a redshirt, transfer or 2020 year); height and weight as last listed.

Per play

SeasonTeamPlaysEPA/playPctileMedianTotalUsage
2016Clemson140.35––4.9–
2017Clemson100.50––5.0–
2018Clemson5-0.13––-0.7–
2019Clemson180.29––5.3–
2020Clemson780.8687th (n=346)0.5566.89%

Expected points added: how much the player’s plays moved the team’s expected score, per play and in total. Plays: total EPA divided by EPA per play, the plays the source credits to him (for a receiver roughly his catches and runs, not every target; for a passer, not every attempt), so it can differ from attempts plus carries. Percentile: against the position’s regulars that season across all divisions on file (quarterbacks with 150+ plays, backs 60+, receivers and tight ends 30+), with how many there were (n) and their median; a dash means too few plays to rank. A season in progress uses the full-season bar scaled by games played, never below 75 plays for quarterbacks, 30 for backs and 20 for receivers. The cohort grows or shrinks with the source’s coverage each season (2025 lists far more players), so compare percentiles rather than raw EPA across years. FCS seasons are marked. Usage: the share of the team’s plays the player was part of (shown from 20 plays). From CollegeFootballData, 2013 on.

Game by game

2020 Clemson 12 games, 53 catches, 882 yards, 7 TD
DateOpponentResultRecYdsTDLong
Sep 12atWake ForestW 37–⁠1321509
Sep 19vs.The CitadelW 49–⁠0225013
Oct 3vs.VirginiaW 41–⁠232507
Oct 10vs.MiamiW 42–⁠1721208
Oct 17atGeorgia TechW 73–⁠7450124
Oct 24vs.SyracuseW 47–⁠21245125
Oct 31vs.Boston CollegeW 34–⁠2811105016
Nov 7atNotre DameL 40–⁠476161153
Nov 28vs.PittsburghW 52–⁠176176170
Dec 5atVirginia TechW 45–⁠10490165
Dec 19vs.Notre DameW 34–⁠10459026
Jan 1 ✦vs.Ohio StateL 28–⁠498139229
2019 Clemson 10 games, 15 catches, 122 yards, 2 TD
DateOpponentResultRecYdsTDLong
Aug 29vs.Georgia TechW 52–⁠14113013
Sep 7vs.Texas A&MW 24–⁠101202
Sep 21vs.CharlotteW 52–⁠101212
Sep 28atNorth CarolinaW 21–⁠201−10−1
Oct 12vs.Florida StateW 45–⁠142704
Oct 19atLouisvilleW 45–⁠10110110
Oct 26vs.Boston CollegeW 59–⁠7225019
Nov 2vs.WoffordW 59–⁠14346026
Nov 9atNC StateW 55–⁠101404
Nov 30atSouth CarolinaW 38–⁠321407
2018 Clemson 4 games, 5 catches, 63 yards
DateOpponentResultRecYdsTDLong
Sep 1vs.FurmanW 48–⁠7142042
Sep 8atTexas A&MW 28–⁠26––––
Sep 15vs.Georgia SouthernW 38–⁠71404
Sep 22atGeorgia TechW 49–⁠21317011
2017 Clemson 8 games, 8 catches, 57 yards, 1 TD
DateOpponentResultRecYdsTDLong
Sep 2vs.Kent StateW 56–⁠3114114
Sep 9vs.AuburnW 14–⁠61606
Sep 23vs.Boston CollegeW 34–⁠7113013
Oct 7vs.Wake ForestW 28–⁠14215010
Oct 28vs.Georgia TechW 24–⁠102503
Nov 18vs.The CitadelW 61–⁠31404
Dec 2vs.MiamiW 38–⁠3––––
Jan 1 ✦vs.AlabamaL 6–⁠24––––
2016 Clemson 5 games, 12 catches, 87 yards
DateOpponentResultRecYdsTDLong
Sep 10vs.TroyW 30–⁠241505
Sep 17vs.South Carolina StateW 59–⁠0310010
Sep 22atGeorgia TechW 26–⁠7544018
Oct 7atBoston CollegeW 56–⁠1021709
Nov 26vs.South CarolinaW 56–⁠7111011

Box scores from CollegeFootballData, 2004 on. ✦ postseason; ★ a career high on file.

Before the draft

Played in the 2021 Senior Bowl (American team, lost 24–⁠27).

DrillCombine or pro day 2021
Height6′0¼″
Weight204 lb
Arm length32¾″
Hand size10″
Wingspan78¾″W
40-yard dash4.53 s
10-yard split1.60 sW
Vertical jump36½″
Broad jump10′8″
Bench press16 reps
3-cone drill7.03 s
20-yard shuttle4.21 s

Combine or pro day: the source doesn’t say which. Unmarked: Combine and pro day results compiled by array-carpenter (nfl-draft-data); W: Pre-draft measurables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Rosters and honors: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

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