FAYETTEVILLE -- Taylor Powell jumped at the opportunity to play college football in the Southeastern Conference, close to home and in an exciting spread offense which ranked among the best the nation last fall.
Missouri gave Powell a bit of everything he was looking for, and the senior Fayetteville quarterback wasted no time saying yes to the Tigers.
On Wednesday, he signed his national letter of intent with Missouri. Powell, who was verbally committed through the recruiting process to Wake Forest for much of his senior year, quickly switched to Missouri when the offer came on Jan. 22.
"They've been recruiting me for awhile, for about the past two years and I've had a good relationship with them," Powell said. "They didn't know if they were going to take a quarterback in this class or not. And when they decided to, they told me I was their guy.
"And I've always been in love with Missouri and it's the best fit for me."
Powell, the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette Division I Player of the Year, passed for 3,367 yards and 44 touchdowns as a senior and led Fayetteville to a second-straight Class 7A championship. His signing with Missouri became even sweeter as his Fayetteville teammate and fellow all-state Bulldog, Barrett Banister, will join Powell at Mizzou as a preferred walk-on.
"It's crazy how it all worked out," Powell said. "I'm so happy for (Barrett) and that was his decision. I tried not to make any affiliation with his decision but I'm super happy how it all worked out."
Also signing from Fayetteville on Wednesday was Akial Byers, who verbally committed to Alabama last July, but instead signed with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
Byers, a 6-foot-4, 275-pound defensive tackle rated by recruiting services as one of the top players in the state, said his plan is still to attend Alabama after one semester at Mississippi Gulf Coast.
"This was the only junior college I looked at," Byers said. "Alabama, they helped me choose so they could help make sure I do what I have to do."
Ty Clary, a 6-4, 275-pound offensive tackle for the Purple'Dogs, is set to become an Arkansas Razorback. Clary will 'blueshirt' with Arkansas and will count toward the Class of 2018, when he will be put on scholarship.
"It was a no-brainer for me," Clary said. "Arkansas is where I always wanted to go, so that's where I was going to go."
Brothers Trey and Blake Coulter signed with Arkansas Tech on Wednesday. Trey Coulter, an All-NWADG selection, had three blocked kicks against Bentonville in the state semifinals and Blake Coulter, another all-conference pick, contributed a steady force in the secondary as well.
Max Thurman, like Clary, was a constant the last two seasons for Fayetteville on the offensive line. Thurman, who played four positions on the offensive front in one game this season, signed with Missouri Southern.
Kester Olson, who returned a fumble 89 yards for a touchdown in Fayetteville's state championship win against North Little Rock, signed with Missouri Valley.
Brennon Lewis, a top receiver for Fayetteville along with Banister this past season, also signed as a preferred walk-on with Memphis.
Sports on 02/02/2017