When the Las Vegas Raiders selected two receivers in the top-100 of April’s draft, it wasn’t all that surprising. Even the pick of Henry Ruggs III over the likes of CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy given the team’s lack of speed in the receiving corps.
But what was surprising is who the Raiders paired Ruggs with; South Carolina’s Bryan Edwards.
After a foot injury sidelined him for almost all of the pre-draft process, Edwards fell to the middle of third-round despite posting huge numbers in the SEC. Despite shaky quarterback play, Edwards finished fourth all-time in receiving yards (3,045) in the Southeastern Conference.
Edwards has already made an impression on the coaching staff and his teammates after participating in off-season workouts. In a recent conference call, Ruggs talked about why Edwards has the chance to be an elite player in the NFL:
“He’s a big, physical receiver. I actually got the chance to see him in person, in-game, so I’ve seen some of the things that he can do. I know he’s going to be a great player too and he’s one of the guys that when we come in to do some extra things, he’s always here too. So, he’s going to be special.”
If Edwards had the chance to compete at the NFL Combine and workout for teams ahead of the draft, it wouldn’t have been surprising to see him selected inside the top-40 picks given his college resume.
Consider this, he was far more productive at South Carolina (and younger) than Deebo Samuel, who was the No. 36 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. From 2016-2018, Edwards had 314 more receiving yards than Samuel. While that certainly doesn’t guarantee success in the NFL, it’s certainly worth mentioning considering the rookie season Samuel had with the 49ers.
While Edwards likely won’t start the season, it’s fair to expect him to be on the field in specific packages. And with Tyrell Williams having no guaranteed money left on his contract after the 2020 season, Edwards will have a chance to prove that he deserves a starting spot by 2021. However, don’t be surprised if he finds his way into the starting lineup much sooner than that.
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