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West Bloomfield (Mich.) 2021 four-star running back Donovan Edwards is taking a breather from high-intensity workouts during the COVID-19 pandemic, but that doesn’t mean he’s ignoring his recruitment.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound prospect, ranked as the third-best running back in the country, is highly considering the Wolverines, but he was planning to spend his spring visiting Oklahoma, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, USC and other schools that aren’t in his backyard.
“I was going to have a lot on my plate this spring,” Edwards said. “It’s like a restart.”
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The coronavirus halted those unofficial visit options, leaving him to stay in his West Bloomfield home until Gov. Gretchen Whitmer drops her “stay home, stay safe” order that was placed on March 23.
But for the programs near him, like Michigan and Michigan State, Edwards is passionate. He called Michigan his “home” and said he communicates with running backs coach Jay Harbaugh “a couple of times” each day.
“There’s nothing more I can see,” Edwards said, adding the importance of his former teammates, Makari Paige and Cornell Wheeler, being true freshmen at U-M this year and his high school coach, Ron Bellamy, playing there from 1999 to 2002. “My homeboys are there.”
Michigan believes Edwards would be dynamic in its offense, and the running back agrees.
Edwards has a strong build, allowing him to operate out of the backfield as an explosive, downhill runner. He can run between the tackles with authority, block and catch passes behind the line of scrimmage or in the slot. He’s the complete package on film and could be a team’s No. 1 running back as soon as his true freshman season.
All of those attributes could be coming to Ann Arbor. Or, maybe, East Lansing.
Michigan State is also in the mix for Edwards, who said he speaks with new coach Mel Tucker a couple of times per week.
“It’s a good deal, something new for the program,” Edwards said. “I think what Mark Dantonio did was special, but it’s time to see what Mel Tucker can do.
“It’s a new offense, and I just need to see more of what’s really going to happen and how I’ll fit in.”
Edwards does not know when he will make a commitment, but he will sign by mid-December to enroll early at the university of his choice.
He has 43 offers: Georgia, Michigan, Michigan State, Alabama, Arizona State, Auburn, Baylor, Cincinnati, Colorado, Florida, Florida State, Illinois, Indiana, Kent State, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Maryland, Miami (FL), Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina A&T, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Rutgers, Syracuse, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, USC, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Akron.
The Wolverines offered April 17, 2018.
“With all that’s going on, it’s not affecting me,” Edwards said. “What is there that I can do about it? Going into the season, I’m probably going to be uncommitted, so I’ve still got plenty of options I can choose from that I’m still looking at.”
While Edwards doesn’t think COVID-19 will impact him from a recruiting standpoint, he knows it will hurt those without as many offers. He noted his teammate, 2021 linebacker Jordan Hoskins, as a prospect without any offers but the capability to play Division I football.
Edwards’ advice to Hoskins is simple.
“Just keep your head up,” he said. “It’s going to come. It’s mainly a time thing. People stress about offers going into their senior year, but I try to help them out and do whatever I can for them. I really have connections with a lot of coaches, so I hit them up and ask what they think.”
Edwards is ranked No. 38 overall, No. 3 at the running back position and No. 2 in Michigan, according to the 247Sports composite.