Tag: TJ Edwards

How the results of the draft affect former Badgers in the NFL

Much has been written about the five former Badgers that made it to the NFL last week–Jonathan Taylor, Zack Baun, Tyler Biadasz…

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Much has been written about the five former Badgers that made it to the NFL last week–Jonathan Taylor, Zack Baun, Tyler Biadasz, Quintez Cephus and Chris Orr–and how their draft slot and landing spot affects their NFL future.

What hasn’t been nearly as documented is what effect the draft had on former Badgers already in the NFL, especially the ones who may have already been in a position where they needed to battle for a role on the team.

Now, a team using its 5th and 6th round picks on a player at the same position of a Wisconsin product doesn’t necessarily mean that player will soon be out of the door.

Once it becomes a high selection, though, is when the veterans in the league are sometimes cast aside in favor of the younger, cheaper option at the position.

Here’s how the 2020 NFL Draft affects the jobs and playing time of former Badgers already in the NFL.

 

T.J. Edwards (Philadelphia Eagles)

NFL: Philadelphia Eagles at Buffalo Bills
Philadelphia Eagles linebacker T.J. Edwards (57) warms up prior to a game against the Buffalo Bills at New Era Field. Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Edwards surprised many in Philadelphia as he finished the 2019 season as a starter at middle linebacker after making the team as an undrafted free agent.

Joining the starting rotation with low expectations after injuries to Kamu Grugier-Hill and Nigel Bradham, Edwards actually became the team’s best at the position and finished the season with a ProFootballFocus grade of 86.6.

During the NFL Draft, though, the Eagles used their third round pick on Colorado linebacker Davion Taylor, the highest the team has drafted a linebacker since 2015.

While it will take a year or two for Taylor to gain experience and learn the position–as he didn’t play in games until he reached college–and it may still be him and Edwards as the two starters, the Eagles brought in competition at the position and clearly view it as a need for the team going forward.

Edwards’ job isn’t in jeopardy with this move, but it adds competition to the room as Edwards tries to continue to prove wrong the teams that didn’t take a chance on him during the draft.

Edwards | Deiter | Jacobs | Dixon & Ogunbowale | Fumagalli | Nelson | Zeitler

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An update on former Badger linebacker T.J. Edwards

T.J. Edwards came to Wisconsin in 2014 as a two-star inside linebacker out of Illinois and…

T.J. Edwards came to Wisconsin in 2014 as a two-star inside linebacker out of Illinois and redshirted his freshman year.

Once the 2015 season kicked off, and Edwards stepped foot on the field, his impact was immediately felt.

Looking back on his career now, his numbers are some of the most impressive we’ve ever seen in Madison, Wis. at the inside linebacker position.

Freshman year: 13 starts, 84 tackles, 6.5 tackles-for-loss and one forced fumble. After the season he was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team and overall was a leading force on the Badgers’ defense that ranked No. 1 in the nation in scoring and No. 2 in yards-per-game allowed.

Sophomore year: 12 starts, a team-high 89 tackles, 8.5 tackles-for-loss, three sacks and three interceptions.  

Junior year: 14 starts, 81 tackles, 11 tackles-for-loss, two sacks, four interceptions and one pick-six. His impressive performance during the season helped to lead the Badgers to one of their best seasons in school history as they finished 13-1 and came within a touchdown drive in the Big Ten Championship of making the College Football Playoff. After the year he was named as a finalist for the Butkus award and a first team All-American.

Senior year: 13 starts, 112 tackles, 11.5 tackles-for-loss, three sacks and three interceptions. 

In total, Edwards finished his career with 52 starts, 366 tackles, 37.5 tackles-for-loss, eight sacks, 10 interceptions and led the Badgers to a 42-12 record during his four years.

Despite all of his college success, Edwards was not selected in the 2019 NFL Draft and subsequently signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent.

Then, after having a strong camp and preseason, he became one of the two post-draft signees to make the week one roster in Philadelphia.

Beginning the year playing primarily special teams, the former Badger didn’t have high expectations during his first season. If it weren’t for moves made by the team and injuries to other players at the position, he probably wouldn’t have cracked the starting lineup.

Those moves and injuries–the team releasing Zach Brown, Nigel Bradham missing four games with an ankle injury and a season-ending injury for Kamu Grugier-Hill–pushed Edwards into the starting role alongside Nate Gerry as the Eagles reached the final stretch of their season.

Once he finally cracked the starting lineup and began seeing the field regularly, the Lake Villa, Illinois product exceeded all expectations.

He finished the season with four starts and 19 tackles, 14 of those unassisted, and was rated by ProFootballFocus as by far the Eagles’ best linebacker of the season with an impressive grade of 86.6.

Looking forward to the 2020 campaign, Edwards is projected to begin the year as a starter alongside Gerry as both Bradham and Grugier-Hill are now gone from the team. Despite the Eagles’ offseason moves of signing linebacker Jatavis Brown and hybrid linebacker/safety Will Parks, people should expect to see Edwards on the field early and often for the talented Philadelphia defense.