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Donovan Edwards prepared to ‘revolutionize the game’ when lead RB role comes
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Donovan Edwards isn’t going to back down from proclaiming what he believes he can accomplish as a lead running back. In fact, the Michigan star believes he has what it takes to put a brand new spin on the RB position.
In an appearance on the “Preferred Walk-On” show with Max Chadwick, Edwards was asked if he felt Blake Corum and himself were the clear choice for the top RB tandem in the country. Edwards didn’t bat an eye before responding.
“That’s a dumb question,” said Edwards. “If you have a Heisman trophy contender, another player with damn near 1,000 yards — which I like to say I blame coach (Sherrone) Moore for not giving me more touches in the second half against TCU. And I didn’t play like 3 games, too… Let’s be honest here.”
During the conversation, Edwards revealed he is keeping an eye on the 2024 NFL Draft but also knows he has to perform “where my feet are” before fully committing to the NFL. Edwards was also asked what he wants to accomplish when he becomes a lead RB, whether that happens in Ann Arbor or in the NFL.
He admitted he believes he has the skill set to “revolutionize the game” for the RB position. Edwards is shooting to be remembered in the same breath as Walter Payton and Barry Sanders, and he sees the modern NFL game as a prototypical fit for his skill set.
“I will go down as one of the greatest RBs to play the game. I’ll be up there with Walter Payton and Barry Sanders. I believe I will revolutionize the game and the position at RB for how I run my routes, how I play as a RB, and how I can play at receiver, too,” Edwards explained. “I feel like this is the perfect time for myself specifically because the NFL wants RBs that can catch. If the NFL wants a LB to guard a RB, good luck with that.”
Donovan Edwards’ accomplishments
Donovan Edwards began the 2022 season as the No. 2 option behind Corum, but he still managed to rush for a pair of 100-yard games alongside Corum in wins over Penn State and Rutgers. After Corum was injured in the Illinois game, Edwards exploded in the final three games of the season.
During the win over Ohio State, Edwards rushed for a career-high 216 yards with a pair of long touchdown runs to punctuate the victory. He followed that up with 185 yards against Purdue and 119 yards in the CFP against TCU.
After finishing with 991 yards a season ago, Edwards has a shot to reach 1,000 yards as a part of the electric tandem with Corum. If Edwards reaches that goal — and stays healthy — he’ll be on a number of NFL radars in the offseason.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.