Ronald Powell dead at 32, cause of death of former Florida, New Orleans Saints linebacker unknown

Former Florida and New Orleans Saints linebacker Ronald Powell died on Monday at the age of 32. His death was announced on X by his former Saints teammate Junior Galette on Monday evening. The cause of death of Powell was not immediately known.

"I Love You Forever till we meet again," Galette wrote. "An EXCELLENT FATHER. Respected Brother and a Loving Son." "I am saddened to share with the rest of the world that Ronald Powell Transitioned Earlier today. REST IN POWER RONALD POWELL."

Powell was listed as the No. 1 prospect in the 2010 class by Rivals before playing four seasons for the Florida Gators under Urban Meyer and Will Muschamp before transitioning to the professional stage in 2014.

Powell played 14 games with the New Orleans Saints in 2014 after being drafted in the fifth round and later signed with three other NFL teams but did not play for any.

The football world is mourning Ronald Powell’s death

Ronald Powell's death sent a shockwave to the NFL and college football world. A good number of players and fans have sent their condolences to his loved ones.

In the same vein, the NFLPA Former Player Fraternity has sent its condolences to the family and loved ones of the former New Orleans Saints player.

"Today we mourn the loss of Ronald Powell- a father, a brother, and a son who was loved and cherished by so many," the NFLPA Former Players Fraternity said in a statement via social media. "We send comfort to all those who knew Ronald. #RIP"

Also, the Florida Gators have released a statement regarding Powell. Despite the injuries, Powell made a significant impact on the program during his time.

In a social media post, the school said:

“We’re very saddened to learn about the passing of former Gators player Ronald Powell. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones.”

While Powell was a highly coveted five-star prospect coming out of high school, he didn't live up to expectations on both the collegiate and professional stages as injuries hampered his career.

The linebacker suffered two torn ACLs in his sophomore season at Florida, and this impacted the rest of his career. He had his NFL career with the New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks.