| No. 7 Hamilton Tiger-Cats | |
 Powell with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2024 | |
| Born: | (1998-10-21)October 21, 1998 (age 26) Fayetteville, Arkansas, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| Status | Active |
| CFL status | American |
| Position(s) | Quarterback |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) |
| Weight | 207 lb (94 kg) |
| College | Eastern Michigan (2022) Troy (2021) Missouri (2017–2019) |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 2023–present | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
| Career stats | |
| |
Taylor Wilson Powell (born October 21, 1998) is an American professionalfootballquarterback for theHamilton Tiger-Cats of theCanadian Football League (CFL).
After using aredshirt season in 2017, Powell playedcollege football for theMissouri Tigers from 2018 to 2019 where he played in 15 games over three seasons, where he completed 35 of 76 pass attempts (46%) for 431 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.[1][2] He then sat out the 2020 season and transferred toTroy University where he played for theTrojans in 2021. That season, he played in six games, starting in five, where he completed 125 of 189 pass attempts (66.1%) for 1,251 yards with seven touchdowns and six interceptions before sitting out the rest of the season due to injury.[1][3]
Powell then transferred again toEastern Michigan University to play for theEagles in 2022.[3] In his final year of eligibility, he completed 174 of 269 pass attempts (64.6%) for 2,111 yards with 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions.[1]
After going undrafted and un-signed following the2023 NFL draft, Powell attended rookie minicamp with theCarolina Panthers, but was not signed to a contract.[4][5]
On May 17, 2023, Powell signed with theHamilton Tiger-Cats.[1][6] He made the team's active roster as the third string quarterback following2023 training camp and dressed in his first professional game on June 9, 2023, against theWinnipeg Blue Bombers.[7] Following an injury to incumbent starter,Bo Levi Mitchell, in the second game of the season, Powell was elevated to the backup role behindMatthew Shiltz.[7] However, Shiltz also suffered an injury in the fifth game of the season and Powell was pressed into his first game action on July 13, 2023. On his first pass attempt, he threw a 17-yard touchdown pass toTim White.[8] Powell finished the game having completed two of four passes for 47 yards and one touchdown.[8]
On July 17, 2023, head coachOrlondo Steinauer announced Powell as the starting quarterback for the game against theToronto Argonauts on July 21, 2023.[9] In his first start, he completed 27 of 41 pass attempts for 282 yards and one interception in the loss to the Argonauts.[10] While Mitchell returned to start the next game, he was injured again and Powell started in the week after.[6] Despite Shiltz becoming healthy, Powell remained the starter through to week 15.[6] In week 16, Mitchell was healthy and returned to the roster, while Powell was moved to the injured list.[6]
Powell dressed in 15 regular season games and started in nine, recording a 4–5 record as a starter for a team that finished 8–10.[11] He threw for 2,283 yards, had a 67.8% completion rate, and threw for 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions.[11] Despite his impact during the regular season, Powell was a healthy scratch for the team's playoff loss that Shiltz started with Mitchell as backup andKai Locksley as the short yardage quarterback.[12]
With one year remaining on his contract, Powell signed a contract extension through 2025 on May 12, 2024.[4] In2024, under new head coach,Scott Milanovich, Mitchell was named the team's starter and Powell was named the team's primary backup following the departures of Shiltz and Locksley.[13] In the team's week 10 game against the Alouettes, Mitchell was hooked early after an interception and Powell was inserted into the game.[14] He then completed 30 of 38 pass attempts for 319 yards and two touchdowns in the loss to theMontreal Alouettes.[10][14] With the team holding a 2–7 record, Mitchell was demoted and Powell was named the starter for the team's week 11 game against theEdmonton Elks.[15] However, Powell was injured early in the game, leaving in an ambulance and later being diagnosed with a concussion.[15] He sat out two games with injury, but was again the back up behind Mitchell when he returned in week 15.[16]
Powell was born to parents Mark and Elizabeth Powell.[3] He has one sister, Kailey.[3]