INDIANAPOLIS – Michigan’s Donovan Edwards appeared to be on the verge of stardom after a breakout sophomore season in 2022.
With Blake Corum sidelined for the last three games, Edwards shined in a featured role, rushing for 216 yards against Ohio State, 185 in the Big Ten championship against Purdue and another 119 in a college football playoff semifinal loss to TCU.
“Big game Don” had arrived.
The former top-50 recruit out of West Bloomfield oozed confidence and was candid about his NFL aspirations. But after two straight underwhelming seasons to end his college career, Edwards’ shimmer as an NFL prospect has dimmed.
The contingent of reporters at Edwards’s NFL Scouting Combine news conference Friday palled in comparison to crowds for other top prospects. Two years ago, that might have bothered Edwards, a gregarious personality has always savored the spotlight.
But not now. His experiences the past two years have given him a new perspective on life and football. He credits Michigan offensive analyst Fred Jackson, director of football administration Claiborne Green and renowned life coach and motivational speaker Greg Harden, who was best known for his work Tom Brady, for his maturation despite growing pains on the field in 2023 and 2024.
“Ultimately, I’m grateful for everything that I’ve been through for the past four years,” he said. “I’ve had really highs and I’ve had lows as well. I wouldn’t even call this year a low. For me, I’ve grown mentally and spiritually thanks to guys, thanks to the staff around the facility. They prepared me for this opportunity that I’m here right now, and they prepared me mentally and physically for the game of football.”
Edwards said he plans to participate in everything but the agility drills at this week’s combine looking to recapture some the hype surrounding him earlier in his career.
“The way that I look at it right now is, it’s just like high school all over again,” he said. “Just proving yourself to coaches, to teams, to players, to staff members that you can do it. I believe that’s the position that I’m in right now. Ultimately, I’m grateful for it because it’s making me hungry. I got the fire in my soul and my spirit back again. I’m ready for every opportunity possible.”
Edwards sizzled in 2022, rushing for 991 yards and seven touchdowns while averaging a robust 7.1 yards per carry. But the numbers dipped in 2023, finishing with 497 yards and averaging 4.2 yards per attempt.
The departure of Blake Corum opened the door for more opportunities for Edwards in 2024, but linebacker-turned-running back Kalel Mullings outperformed him for much of the season and earned the bulk of the playing time.
Edwards is ranked as the No. 257 overall player in the NFL Mock Draft Database consensus big board.
“I’m sure that I’m not going to get drafted where I want to go,” Edwards said. “I said before my sophomore year, I want to go first round. (Am I) going first round? Probably not, but I don’t care. As long as I get an opportunity to be able to make the most of my opportunities, then that’s all that matters. It’s not about when you go to the NFL, it’s about how long you stay in the NFL. That’s all I want to do is just be able to embrace my opportunities.”
He doesn’t project as a three-down back in the NFL but could be utilized as a pass-catching option of the backfield. Edwards finished with 797 receiving yards at Michigan – 13 away from tying Anthony Thomas for most by a running back in program history.
“I really wanted to break that record real bad, but I didn’t, and that’s OK,” Edwards said. “I feel like teams know what I’m able to do. I feel like I was utilized really well at Michigan, but ultimately, too, I just want to continue to sharpen my craft every day.”
His legacy at Michigan might not end up what he envisioned after nearing a 1,000-yard season as a sophomore, but he leaves Ann Arbor as a national champion who delivered in some of the team’s biggest games.
“I feel like as though I lived up to the expectations in some way,” he said. “I did the things that I needed to do. Is my legacy going to be what I want it to be? Yes and no. I know I could have done more, but I have no regrets being there. Ultimately, for me, I don’t care. I’m grateful for every opportunity that I had. I’m grateful for all the fans that supported me. I’m grateful for the big plays that I made. I’m grateful for the great games that I had against top 10 opponents and teams. I did everything that I wanted to do.”
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