Gamecock great Bryan Edwards one of three SEC offensive stars drafted by Raiders
Bryan Edwards felled records in his four seasons at South Carolina. Now the Gamecocks star is going to Las Vegas Raiders.
Edwards was selected in the NFL Draft’s third round Friday night, No. 81 overall. The Conway, South Carolina product started every healthy game of his career and left with the program marks for catches and yards.
“You won’t regret it,” Edwards told coach Jon Gruden in taking the call from the Raiders, in to a video posted to the Gamecocks’ social media accounts.
A knee injury cost him the end of his senior season and the Senior Bowl. Then a broken foot took him out of the NFL Combine.
He closed out his USC career with 234 catches and 3,045 yards. His 22 career touchdowns ranked behind only Sidney Rice and Alshon Jeffery in school history.
“I feel like the foot and the injury definitely played a part in me slipping a little bit in the draft,” Edwards told reporters after the draft. “But I feel like everything worked out. God’s plan, obviously. Everything worked out for the best.”
Edwards came to Columbia as a four-star recruit, a member of Will Muschamp’s first class as USC head coach. Edwards had been committed to Steve Spurrier’s staff and rejoined once Muschamp settled in. There was a period when other schools were recruiting him as a safety.
“Bryan Edwards is an X — we love his production,” Raiders general manager Mike Mayock said. “Big, strong, physical guy. On offense we feel we got more dynamic, which was the plan.”
In this draft, the Raiders went deep on SEC pass catchers. They also took Alabama receiver Henry Ruggs III in the first round and Kentucky’s Lynn Bowden in the third round, one pick ahead of Edwards. (Bowden will start off as a running back, the Raiders said.)
The top Raiders pass catcher last year was a tight end, and the top wide receiver was former Clemson star Hunter Renfrow with 605 yards.
“I’m just gonna come in and work,” Edwards said. “I’m just gonna do my part, do all I can do and just work. That’s all you really can do when there’s competition is just work and just show yourself.”
Edwards was a starter at USC from his opening game, gaining 101 yards in that contest. He played alongside Deebo Samuel and Shi Smith for most of his career, ranking first or second on the team in yards in his final three seasons.
The 6-foot-3, 212-pounder was a versatile threat, excelling as a jump ball target and contributing all over on deep balls and shorter routes.
Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network said, “He is someone that would have been in the second round if he was healthy.”
“He can get it done,” ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper said. “He is a very underrated wide receiver.”
Bryan Edwards stats
Edwards’ career numbers, Catches-yards-touchdowns
2016: 44-590-4
2017: 64-793-5
2018: 55-846-7
2019: 71-816-6
This story was originally published April 24, 2020 at 10:37 PM.
