A former Clemson wide receiver was one of the victims of NFL roster cuts leading up to Sunday’s roster deadline.
Cornell Powell was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers ahead of the NFL’s cutdown deadline, where teams had to reduce their rosters from 90 to 53 players.
Powell signed with Pittsburgh on Aug. 10. He had rejoined the Steelers after spending time on their practice squad in 2025.
Following his Clemson career, Powell was originally selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round (181st overall pick) of the 2021 NFL Draft and earned a pair of Super Bowl championship rings during his time with the franchise. He spent three seasons on Kansas City’s practice squad, appearing in three games in 2022.
In addition to the Chiefs and Steelers, Powell has also spent time with the Seattle Seahawks (practice squad in 2024) and Houston Texans (2025 offseason).
Powell most recently played for the United Football League’s DC Defenders, leading the team during the 2026 regular season in both catches (34) and receiving yards (491) while also catching one touchdown pass — an impressive 12-yard, one-handed touchdown snag on May 2. He ranked sixth in the UFL in receiving yards, and in two 2026 postseason games, he added five more receptions for 68 yards.
In 2025, Powell won the UFL championship with the Defenders. He was the UFL’s receiving touchdowns leader that year with seven.
Poll won a prestigious UFL award this year when he was named the 2026 UFL Sportsman of the Year.
Prior to entering the professional ranks, Powell was a part of Clemson teams that earned five ACC titles, five College Football Playoff berths, three national title game berths and two national championships from 2016-20. He emerged as a fifth-year senior and had a career year in 2020, when he was a third-team All-ACC selection. After entering that season with 40 career receptions for 329 yards and three touchdowns, Powell finished his career with 93 receptions for 1,211 yards and 10 touchdown catches over 54 career games (12 starts).