Troy added a transfer portal commitment on Tuesday from Cecil Powell, a former North Carolina State cornerback.

Powell, who totaled five tackles in 12 games for the Wolfpack in 2023, has one season of eligibility remaining. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native missed all of the 2021 and 2022 seasons with a back injury before returning to the field this past fall.

The 6-foot, 205-pound Powell joins a Troy defense that must replace all five starting defensive backs from 2023. Cornerbacks O’shai Fletcher and Reddy Steward and safeties Irshaad Davis and Dell Pettus exhausted their eligibility, while nickel safety Caleb Ransaw entered the transfer portal.

Powell was a three-star recruit in the 2019 class, and played both wide receiver and safety as a true freshman. He started five of 12 games at cornerback in 2020, totaling 47 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and four pass breakups.

Troy now has four transfer portal commitments in the current cycle, with Powell joined by running back Gerald Green (East Carolina) and linebackers RaRa Dillworth (East Carolina) and Brendan Jackson (Gardner-Webb). The Trojans went 11-3 in 2023, winning their second straight Sun Belt Conference championship.