Rutgers DB Peyton Powell enters transfer portal over university's COVID-19 vaccine stance

Peyton Powell is a former four-star recruit from Odessa, Texas. Powell played his high school football at Permian. The former Permian defensive back was the 14th best athlete and the 33rd best recruit in Texas.

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Peyton Powell will take a risk and enter the transfer portal for the second time.

Peyton Powell has decided to enter the transfer portal after Rutgers University made it mandatory to receive the COVID-19 vaccine jab. The defensive back hasn't seen much playing time with Rutgers since joining the team in December 2019. Peyton Powell announced his decision on his Twitter account, stating,

"The University of Rutgers has made the COVID vaccine mandatory to attend school and play football. Therefore I have no other choice but to enter my name into the transfer portal."

Rutgers fans are taking the Peyton Powell transfer news well pic.twitter.com/BxdZJALkAF

— Illini Break Down (@IlliniBreakDown) August 25, 2021

Powell enters the transfer portal for the second time during his college football career. The former four-star commit transferred from Baylor to Rutgers. Here's a quick look at the Rutgers COVID-19 vaccine requirements and how they will impact their football program.

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What are Rutgers COVID-19 vaccine requirements?

Rutgers University will require the COVID-19 vaccine for students who are enrolled for the 2021 fall semester. This meant Peyton Powell would have had to receive the vaccine before arriving on campus in the fall. Rutgers remains firm on its stance when it comes to vaccines.

Rutgers University president Jonathan Holloway explains why the university decided to make it mandatory to receive vaccination.

"We are committed to health and safety for all members of our community, and adding COVID-19 vaccination to our student immunization requirements will help provide a safer and more robust college experience for out students."

After Powell announced his transfer from Rutgers, it brought one question to mind. How will the COVID-19 vaccine mandate impact the Rutgers football program?

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How do Rutgers COVID-19 vaccine requirements impact the football program?

Rutgers has struggled to compete in the Big Ten conference since joining. Enforcing the COVID-19 vaccine could impact their recruiting and their current roster.

🪓🪓🪓 https://t.co/SdiqLvYLaJ

— Jim Panagos (@CoachPanagos) August 25, 2021

Many individuals are still on the fence about vaccinations, and mandating them could lead to decommits. Peyton Powell's transfer request could encourage other athletes to do the same. It could also turn into more players entering the transfer portal.

Rutgers is facing a similar situation to the NFL. Peyton Powell decided to stand against receiving the vaccine. He has put his decision above his career and is taking a gamble by placing himself on the transfer portal. With this being his second transfer, teams could steer clear of the defensive back.