Player Spotlight: Georgia RB Daijan Edwards

The University of Georgia has become a factory for future NFL players especially at the running back position. One player that has gone under the radar is running back Daijun Edwards. Coming into Georgia, he wasn’t highly touted like his counterparts Kelee Ringo or Jalen Carter, but Edwards played a big role in the recent success of this Georgia football team.

Edwards brings a sense of toughness to the running back position while not being the biggest player (5’10” 201 pounds). One thing that people will notice about Edwards is that it’s almost impossible to get a clean hit on him because of his elusiveness and shiftiness while running the ball. At times, he doesn’t have the best vision carrying the ball which often led to him gaining 2 to 3 yards on a carry instead of 5+ yards. Edwards can push a pile and consistently keeps his legs moving and has a good power/elusiveness combo that’s better than more than half of the running backs ranked above him in this year’s draft class.

There will be some questions in regards to his durability as a full-time back, even though he may not be that type of player (he was never that player during his time at Georgia). Georgia does have a running back by committee type of backfield due to the amount of talent at that position. Edwards has also yet to prove he can be a consistent receiving threat out of the backfield and can hold his own in pass protection.

What will a team get in Edwards? An absolute team player who will play the position right and work hard in practice and in games. With the culture they have currently at the University of Georgia, there’s no doubt he will play and practice with a lot of discipline. There is no news of possible character issues and Edwards will be a good addition to any running back room in the NFL. Edwards could be a mid to late round draft pick with value because of the way he runs the ball and if forced into action early on his career, he could make a name for himself a la Tyler Allgeier.

There are some potentially good fits for Edwards in the NFL, but one that sticks out the most would be the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens have had to use a running back by committee backfield due to the fact every year, it seems as if they have problems staying healthy at that position. JK Dobbins has found himself on injury reserve yet again this season. Keaton Mitchell, another young running back on the team tore his ACL this year as well. Another reason why Baltimore would be a good fit is because Edwards' old offensive coordinator at Georgia Todd Monkin currently holds the same position in Baltimore and would know how to position Edwards to be successful. Other possible teams that could potentially reach out and grab Edwards in the draft are the Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Chargers, Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers, all of which could stand to add depth to the running back position or are possibly looking for a replacement for a running back they decide to part ways with.