49ers’ 2018 ‘Who Is?’ series: Defensive back Tyvis Powell
By Peter Panacy
Niner Noise’s 2018 “Who Is?” series on San Francisco 49ers players takes a look at a fringe defensive back, Tyvis Powell, and evaluates whether or not he’ll make the 53-man roster this season.
Cornerback figures to be one of the more interesting camp battles the San Francisco 49ers have in 2018, and third-year pro defensive back Tyvis Powell is caught up in the mix.
Powell, 24 years old, joined the league with the Seattle Seahawks in 2016 as an undrafted free agent. He bounced around a bit before being signed to the Niners practice squad in November of last year.
Having played his college ball at Ohio State, the 6-foot-2 and 211-pound defensive back fits the bill, physically, for what San Francisco wants to do in its secondary.
Powell’s collegiate accolades don’t exactly pop off the table, although his eight career interceptions at Ohio State are a nice suggestion of ballhawking abilities:
| Tack | Tack | Tack | Tack | Tack | Def | Def | Def | Def | Def | Fumb | Fumb | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Solo | Ast | Tot | Loss | Sk | Int | Yds | Avg | TD | PD | FR | FF |
| *2013 | Ohio State | Big Ten | FR | DB | 13 | 26 | 22 | 48 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| *2014 | Ohio State | Big Ten | SO | S | 15 | 45 | 31 | 76 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 49 | 12.3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| *2015 | Ohio State | Big Ten | JR | S | 13 | 41 | 30 | 71 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 3 | 29 | 9.7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | Ohio State | 112 | 83 | 195 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 8 | 78 | 9.8 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 1 |
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 6/25/2018.
There were thoughts Powell should have been drafted after his junior year, perhaps as a mid-to-late-round pick. Yet concerns about his coverage abilities likely prompted his fall to being a UDFA.
That lessens his chances of making the 49ers’ 53-man roster to a degree, but let’s take a look at what he’ll have to do to stand out between now and Week 1.
Why Tyvis Powell Improves in 2018
Powell spent the last two years of his time at Ohio State primarily playing safety. With most of the action in front of him, Powell’s coverage concerns were likely put at a minimum.
Paired with an ideal physique, Powell also ran a 4.46 40-yard time at at the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine. The combination of both size and speed are likable attributes for any defensive back, and Powell will be expected to use these to increase his chances of seeing playing time.
Why He Regresses
It’s not uncommon to see defensive backs, who struggle in coverage, bumped from corner to safety. Powell appears to be such a player.
On top of the coverage concerns, NFL.com reported Powell was the victim of 13 missed tackles his senior year. When combining the two, it’s not hard to see why Powell could have some serious issues handling more elusive receivers at the pro level.
San Francisco 49ers
And it’s possibly a reason he’s bounced around the league a lot. If that trend continues, it’s likely Powell will be looking for a new employer again after the preseason.
Chances of Making the 49ers’ 53-Man Roster in 2018
Should Powell make the cut this September, it will primarily be based off his prior understanding of the Seattle-like Cover 3 scheme operated by defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.
This, and Powell’s physical abilities.
But, as is the case with most fringe players, Powell’s best chance will arise from his ability to contribute on special teams. If he can excel there, he’ll have a significantly easier route making the cut.
Yet the Niners brought aboard a number of defensive backs this offseason, many as UDFA candidates as well. All will be vying for depth spots too, making Powell’s road to the 53-man group all the more difficult.
What likely happens is Powell sees time at both cornerback and safety this season, possibly getting some field time late in the preseason and a starting job in San Francisco’s final exhibition tuneup.
Next: 49ers 2018 offseason positional preview: Cornerback
After that, though, it’s unlikely he makes the roster.