Sad news: The NFL Players Association have confirmed the passing away of Florida State linebacker…

The NFL Players Association and the former players’ fraternity confirmed the departure of Florida Gators and professional linebacker Ronald Powell on Tuesday. He was 32 years old. andquot;Today we mourn the loss of Ronald Powell – a father, brother and son who was loved and cherished by so many,andquot; The Brotherhood of Former Players of the NFLPA said in a statement on social media. andquot;Our condolences to all who knew Ronald. [Rest in Peace].andquot; The cause of death for Powell, who died Monday in January, was not immediately known. 15, according to Junior Galette, Powellland’s former teammate with the New Orleans Saints in 2014.Powell, of Moreno Valley, Calif., signed with Florida as a five-star recruit and the consensus No. 1 prospect, regardless of position. , Class of 2010 at Rancho Verde High. He made an immediate impact with the Gators, totaling 57 tackles, seven sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss in his first two seasons in Gainesville.But multiple tears in his left ACL in 2012, first at Florida #039; Orange and Blue in the spring game, and another recovering from the original injury, limited Powell’s effectiveness as a junior and likely affected the rest of his football. career He returned to UF for his redshirt junior season in 2013 and recorded 26 tackles, including seven for loss and four sacks, before turning pro. andquot;Itand#039;s been well documented the hardships he has had to overcome and he has always kept a positive attitude,andquot; former Florida head coach Will Muschamp said of Powell at the time.Powell was selected by the Saints in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played 14 games during his rookie season with New Orleans, but did not make another career appearance despite stints with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks into 2017, receiving multiple injury designations along the way. Powelland#039;s football career briefly relaunched when he signed with the Orlando Apollos of the now-defunct AAF for its lone 2019 season, joining former Florida head coach Steve Spurrierand#039;s spring league team. He was placed on the waived/injured list before the season began, however, and did not play in a game..