Tight end Tyler Powell 'has an elite skillset' for Arizona's offense

The Arizona tight end grew up in a baseball family and his father, Jeremy Powell, played professionally and currently coaches.

"That's what I thought I was going to do up until high school," Powell said.

Powell said he "just fell in love with football" when he started playing at Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix as a freshman. Powell initially played quarterback, but moved to wide receiver. Brophy implemented double-tight end sets and used Powell's lengthy frame and stature.  

"I put my hand in the ground and just fell in love with it," said the 6-7, 244-pound Powell. "I was like, 'Yeah, this is where I want to be.'" 

Ditto for his younger brother, offensive lineman Logan Powell, who is entering his freshman season at Wisconsin.  

Jeremy Powell was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 1994 MLB Draft and eventually pitched professionally in Japan for the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes (later called the Orix Buffaloes), Yomiuri Giants and Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks from 2001-08. Tyler Powell "lived in Japan on and off" in the early stages of his childhood. 

"The people there were so nice," Powell said of Japan. "The food there was really good, too. Watching my dad play growing up, he's been a role model for me growing up. That's something really cool because I always looked up to my dad. We would go to his games and watch him play. ... I'm really grateful for that opportunity to travel. I got to see many different places. Being in Japan was awesome and it was an awesome experience for me."

Jeremy Powell began his coaching journey shortly after his final season in Japan and had stints with the Miami Marlins, New Orleans Baby Cakes and Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. 

"It's cool, because I lived in Arizona my whole life and the desert is what I'm used to, so it was cool to travel and see other parts of the country," Tyler Powell said. "Even though he's a baseball coach, all coaches have the same mindset, so it's cool to pick his brain and talk to him as a player to a coach, being my dad."

Powell signed with Arizona's "electric" 2022 recruiting class, a group that featured wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea, quarterback Noah Fifita, offensive lineman Wendell Moe, linebacker Jacob Manu and cornerback Tacario Davis, among several others who played a critical role in the program's turnaround under Jedd Fisch following a 1-11 season in 2021.

"There were a lot of playmakers in that class," Powell said. "They did a really good job recruiting and I just feel honored to be a part of that and I'm glad to still be here."

However, Arizona signed two other tight ends in 2022: Southern Utah transfer Tanner McLachlan, who ended up becoming the most productive UA tight end since Rob Gronkowski, and four-star prospect Keyan Burnett. Even after McLachlan was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals last year, Powell continued fighting for playing time after the addition of San Jose State transfer Sam Olson. 

Powell redshirted his freshman season, played in 11 games on special teams in 2023 and then appeared in all 12 games with two starts in '24. Powell cited "physicality" as the biggest hurdle to overcome since joining Arizona. 

"When I first got to college, it was fast and not something I was used to," Powell said. "I was pretty raw coming into college. I didn't know the game as well as I do now. Now, I feel like it's second nature. I don't have to think as much on the field and I feel like I can play hard, especially with this coaching staff. They really just want us to play as the most excited team and finish with violent intentions every time. I feel like being able to do that has allowed me to grow as a tight end the most."

Having a minimal role in his first three seasons "put a chip on my shoulder," Powell said. As much as Powell craved playing time, he was humbled by the coaching of three different tight ends coaches between Jordan Paopao, who recruited Powell to Arizona and is now at Washington with Fisch, former passing game coordinator Matt Adkins, who was dismissed after last season, and now first-year tight ends coach Josh Miller, who reunited with offensive coordinator Seth Doege after the two worked at Marshall and Purdue.

Learning from three different tight ends coaches has "been a huge role in my development as a player, being able to pick the brains of multiple coaches and add it to my game," Powell said.

"The tight end position is a unique position to begin with," Miller said. "They're not supposed to win any matchups on paper. They're not supposed to block a (defensive) end. They're not supposed to run past a safety, but whatever your skillset is, we have to find ways to meet those kids where they're at."

Powell "has an elite skillset in being able to run," Miller said. Olson "has an uncanny ability to feel space and be aware of his surroundings," while receiver-converted-tight end and Mercyhurst transfer Cameron Barmore is "savvy" and "has the best athletic gate of the three," according to Miller. Barmore is still adjusting to Power 4 football after playing at the FCS level, "but he's exactly where we expect him to be and he's doing a great job there," said Miller.

Olson assessed Powell as "a really explosive tight end."

"He's got the length, long arms, thick lower half and that helps him be dominant in the run game and also be really explosive running routes," Olson said. "TP has a great a combination and is a great player, and I'm trying my best to help him be the best he can be, because we need everybody."

Discovering — and maximizing — their talents this spring is one of Miller's most essential objectives, because "what Sam does is a little bit different than what TP does, so you gotta meet each kid where they're at," said Arizona's tight ends coach.  

"We have to use their skillset for what we want to do offensively, so we can give them a chance to be successful," added Miller. "Yes, we would like a guy to slot out and create matchup issues and all of those things, but if you don't have that guy, you can't ask him to do that. You better get a receiver out there and manipulate personnel and sub-packages and make sure you're giving your guys a chance to be successful."

Regardless of skillset, the mantra for the group is "choose violence." Blocking or route-running, "in everything we do, we're going to be aggressively violent," Miller said.  

"Once they get that ingrained, that's the standard," he said. "Relentlessly and violently pursue everything you do. As long as that mentality is on point, they'll be fine. Whether that's one catch or 10 catches, you're going to impact the game in the right way that's going to allow us to find a W on Saturdays."

With Burnett, who transferred to Kansas, and veteran tight end Roberto Miranda, who signed a professional contract in Germany, no longer at Arizona, in addition to three years of collegiate experience under his belt, Powell is prepared to potentially shoulder starting duties at tight end. Arizona defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales told Miller, "'This is the best Tyler Powell has looked here,'" according to Arizona's tight ends coach. 

"I've been very pleased with his growth and development," Miller said of Powell. "They're all bought in, but he's really dug into what I've been selling, and you see the dividends paying out on the field.

"I'm excited for his future." 

Extra points

– Powell, on if he wears No. 87 because of Gronkowski: "People compare me to Gronk a lot. In my opinion, I also want to make a name for myself. I think 87 is a really cool tight end number and that's what I stuck with. I started in high school wearing No. 87 and that's what I stuck with through college." 

– Powell said he emulates San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and said "his blocking highlights, the effort is unreal." Added Powell: "I feel like that's something all tight ends should emulate." 

– Miller said he has recruiting ties "all over the country," but has focused on Dallas and Houston since joining the UA. Miller said Texas, Arizona and California are hotspots for tight ends, but "depending on where we need to branch, I'll get there, as well."