Ronald Powell is the early favorite to start at strong side linebacker. Powell played defensive end very well, but it seems as if he has been beaten out because of injuries last season. However, he has been given the chance to carve out a niche is a new position. He is very athletic and could definitely play well at linebacker. He can use his pass rushing skills on blitzes, that would certainly add a scary aspect to the Gators defense. I am not sure how effective he will be when it comes to pass coverage, but my instincts tell me he may be off the field on passing downs. This will be an interesting experiment and I think it will work out just fine for the Gators.
Neiron Ball, Powell's backup, is more of a traditional linebacker. As a backup last season, Ball played very well, recording 10 tackles and 2 fumble recoveries, while making two starts against Bowling Green and LSU. He may end up as the starter if Powell does not perform as expected. Ball is better in pass coverage than he is stopping the run, therefore he should be seeing the field in nickel and dime packages more so than in the base defense.
The success of the strong side linebacker position will depend on how well Powell resounds to his new position. Powell will add a nice dimension with his pass rushing ability and it will be interesting to see how Muschamp uses that to his advantage. If Powell does not succeed, Ball would be a fine replacement.
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