Okay, let’s talk about looking into Donovan Edwards and his whole NFL Draft situation. It’s something I’ve been digging into lately as part of my usual pre-draft routine.
Getting Started
So, I first really noticed Edwards during Michigan’s big games, naturally. You couldn’t miss him, even with Blake Corum getting a lot of the spotlight. My first step was simple: just watch. I pulled up some of their game footage from this past season and the one before. I wasn’t looking for anything specific at first, just wanted to get a feel for how he moved, how he ran.
Diving Deeper – Watching the Tape (My Way)
After getting a general idea, I started focusing more. What I did was rewind plays specifically featuring him. I wasn’t using fancy scouting software, just regular game broadcasts. I looked for a few things:
- Running Style: Did he hit the hole hard? Did he dance too much? I saw a guy who could be patient but also had a burst when he saw daylight. Seemed pretty smooth.
- Catching the Ball: This felt like a big part of his game. I specifically looked for plays where he was targeted out of the backfield or even lined up wide. His hands looked pretty reliable, which is a big plus these days for running backs. I remember thinking, okay, this guy isn’t just a runner.
- Pass Protection: Honestly, this is tougher to judge from broadcast angles. I tried to spot him picking up blitzes. Sometimes he looked solid, other times maybe less so. It’s an area I mentally flagged as something to keep an eye on reports about.
- Sharing the Load: How did he look when Corum was also playing? Did his energy change? It seemed like he still ran hard, even in a shared backfield. That’s good, shows he’s not just padding stats against tired defenses.
Forming My Own Thoughts
After watching a bunch of plays, I started putting my thoughts together. My main takeaway was that he felt like a really versatile player. He wasn’t just a pure power back or just a speed guy. He had a bit of everything, especially that receiving ability.
I did wonder about his consistency as a lead back, though. He shared so much work, it was hard to picture him carrying the load 20+ times a game week after week in the pros. Is his body built for that? That was a question mark I had.
Checking the Buzz and Numbers (A Little Bit)
Then I did what most folks do – I started looking around at what other people were saying. Checked out some basic stats, his height, weight, stuff like that. Saw his Combine numbers when they came out. The numbers seemed okay, maybe not spectacular in every drill, but numbers aren’t everything, right? It’s about how you play the game.
I mostly stuck to my own observations from watching him play. The stats and buzz just added a bit more context. For me, the tape doesn’t lie, or at least, it tells the most important parts of the story.
Where I Landed (For Now)
So, after going through that process, watching the games, focusing on his plays, and considering his role, I feel like Edwards is a really interesting prospect. He’s got that receiving skill that NFL teams love now. He can definitely be a weapon in the passing game right away.
I think his draft position will depend a lot on how teams weigh that versatility versus maybe wanting a more proven, traditional workhorse back. He might not be the very first back taken, but I definitely started seeing him as a guy who could make a team happy, maybe as part of a committee initially, with the potential to grow into more. That’s kinda where my head’s at after digging into it myself.
