Small Wonder

PHILADELPHIA – Every now and again, ShunDerrick Powell, with a primary objective in mind, will proactively fire off a text message to fellow running back Will Shipley. Fueled by a meticulousness that borders on obsession, Powell is merely casting a line to solicit feedback from his most prominent resource.

The theme of those messages is inquisitive. What did he do wrong? How can he improve in a specific facet of his game?

They will then convene and migrate to the running back room, where the position mates will have a meeting and parse through film together. Shipley, Powell said, has had a profound impact on navigating him through his first training camp, schooling him on everything from film study and how to better read the line to catching and route running.

Eagles RB ShunDerrick Powell scored a 2-yard rushing TD against the Bengals in the preseason opener.

In fact, the day before the Eagles’ preseason opener on Thursday, Powell and Shipley watched film together. Powell even credits Shipley for teaching him how to watch film at the pro level.

The tutorial also extends to the practice fields, where if you pay attention, you’ll occasionally notice Shipley talking to Powell between plays or walking off the field after practice.

Standing just outside his shared locker stall after the preseason opener, nestled inside the confines of Lincoln Financial Field, Powell expressed gratitude for the support shown by Shipley and franchise superstar Saquon Barkley.

But beneath the eagerness and enthusiasm that seemingly never takes a moment off, Powell – an undersized undrafted rookie – has urgency in his voice, reflecting his thirst for improvement. Opportunities for players in his position are infrequent, often relegated to just a handful of reps in practice, placing an emphasis on details and making plays, at times without even being ball-centric.

“I gotta take advantage of my opportunities,” Powell acknowledged. “Every time I get a rep, I gotta go a hundred percent. Because I’m a small guy, I have to do the extra, I have to be more explosive than everybody. I got to. I don’t have a choice. But every time I get a chance on film, I try my best.”

The daily grind of training camp essentially makes it like Groundhog Day, equipped with an itinerary that inevitably becomes habitual in time. For Powell, that includes a pre-practice recovery regimen that includes a plunge into an ice bath or hot tub in addition to red light therapy before hitting the NovaCare Complex practice field.

It’s on the practice field where the off-field preparation works in conjunction with his natural abilities that have revealed themselves on numerous occasions.

Powell, miring among an influx of young upstarts at his position, is wired to comprehend the magnitude of each rep. His uniqueness, apart from his diminutive stature, stems from his twitchiness and elusiveness in space. He’s parlayed those explosive qualities into a flurry on highlight-worthy scampers, usually on stretch plays.

Powell has also showcased toughness and contact balance, as evidenced most recently on a Kyle McCord check-down, shaking off the initial contact from linebacker Dallas Gant – who was hanging onto the threads of Powell’s jersey as he zoomed past – to churn out a few more yards. He’s also twice found paydirt during a session.

At 5-foot-7, 180 pounds, Powell is almost always at a size disadvantage, a discrepancy that should most impact his ability to effectively pass protect. That hasn’t been the case, however, as Powell has demonstrated a propensity for sticking his nose in there and stoning oncoming linebackers with pure strength and what appears to be tactical technical prowess. And through 10 practices and one preseason game, he’s hardly been a liability.

“I’m really strong,” he offered. “But you know what’s crazy? I don’t even know how to pass block yet. I’m learning from [RBs coach] Jemal [Singleton], he’s teaching me how to pass block. And I’m learning mechanics. He thinks I’m gonna be a good pass blocker, so I’m just gonna continue to keep learning.”

But in the midst of training camp, where the grind is incessant and unrelenting, how can one master the art of such an intricacy?

“It’s pretty tough,” he acknowledged. “But you wanna be great, you gotta do it. So, it’s pretty tough, but you wanna be great – you wanna get better, you gotta put in the extra work. I have to put in extra, I’m small, so I can’t really slack off. But like, I said, just keep putting in the extra work and I know I’m gonna be there.”

While Shipley and Barkley have been Powell’s most prominent mentors, it’s also been the directives of Singleton that have influenced Powell’s progress. Powell said Singleton, who’s keen on particulars and fundamentals, reminds him of his high school football coach. He’ll get on him at times, ingraining in Powell the value of technique and honing in on specifics.

With that mentality, he’s brought the best out of the Central Arkansas product.

“He’s a hard-ass, but he’s in on the details,” he said. “He really cares about the little things. The little things matter. I’m thankful to have him as a coach.”

The Eagles, Powell’s favorite team and one he played with in video games, were the first team that called him after the NFL Draft. The match was a no-brainer.

And in his first taste of game action, Powell was primed for the moment. It was something he dreamed of growing up. True to form, his opportunities were scarce – Powell carried just six times, totaling 32 yards – but he made the most of them. Early in the fourth quarter, with the offense positioned at the Bengals’ 2-yard line, Powell’s eyes grew wide as he identified an advantage on the right side.

Upon receiving the handoff from McCord, Powell pounced, punctuating the five-play, 17-yard drive in style.

“I seen that it was not a lot of guys on the right side, so I already had my mind made up,” he recalled. “I said, ‘Yeah, I’m gonna go right to this side, ‘cause there’s not a lot of guys over there.’ So, once I seen it, I ran with it.”

– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.