Dec. 4, 2010

OXFORD, Miss. -- Ole Miss senior defensive tackle Jerrell Powe announced Saturday that he will not seek an additional year of eligibility and will enter the upcoming 2011 National Football League Draft.

“I have struggled for a long time about this decision, but in the end, it’s time for me to move on,” said Powe. “I really appreciate everything Ole Miss has done for me. I plan on coming back and supporting my school and my team for the rest of my life. I am in my prime right now and I feel it is in my best interest to start using my ability to earn a living for me and my family.

“I am very thankful to the Ole Miss family, the coaching staff and my teammates for the support I have been shown these past few years.”

“I really appreciate what Jerrell Powe has done for this program, in particular the want he showed to be an Ole Miss Rebel,” said Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt. “He displayed tremendous work ethic and dedication in the face of adversity. He is really close to graduation, and I hope he reaches that goal. We wish him the best in the NFL Draft.”

Powe just concluded his third season of competition with the Rebel football squad and is in his fourth year as an Ole Miss student.

A native of Waynesboro, Miss., Powe garnered second team All-SEC honors in 2009 and 2010. He missed only one game in his three seasons in the Red and Blue and started 22 of 25 games the past two years. The 6-foot-2, 320-pounder piled up 69 total tackles, 24 TFLs and seven sacks over his career.

In 2008 and 2009, Powe helped lead a Rebel defense that was among the nation’s leaders in tackles for loss and sacks. He ranked 8th in the SEC in TFLs in 2009 with 12.0 and helped Ole Miss hold the opposition under 300 yards of total offense seven times that year, including five league games.

A preseason All-America honoree in 2010, Powe was among the candidates for the Rotary Lombardi Award, Outland Trophy and Bronko Nagurski Trophy and was chosen as a Team Captain by his teammates. Despite often facing double teams, Powe amassed 27 total tackles, 8.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks this season, including 1.5 sacks at No. 8 Alabama.

Considered one of the top high school defensive players in state history, Powe was a Parade All-American at Wayne County High School and played in the U.S. Army All-America Bowl. He was a three-time All-State pick who was named Mr. Football in the state of Mississippi. He was ranked the nation's No. 1 defensive tackle on Student Sports' Top 100 list.

After originally signing with Ole Miss in 2005, Powe attended Hargrave Military Academy and was rated as the No. 3 prep school player in the nation by Rivals.com.

Jerrell Powe Career Statistics