Bryan Edwards: 2020 Dynasty Rookie Profile
Position: WR
School: South Carolina
Class: Senior
Date of Birth: November 13, 1998
Height: 6-3 Weight: 212lbs
Athletic Testing
Bryan Edwards missed the NFL Combine due to a broken foot and won’t have a Pro Day due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bio
From Conway, South Carolina, Bryan Edwards was a three-star recruit who finished his high school career with 188 receptions for 2,652 yards and 32 touchdowns. He was a finalist for South Carolina’s Mr. Football award despite a senior season that was shortened by a knee injury. He enrolled at South Carolina in January 2016 which enabled him to participate in spring drills ahead of his freshman season.
That experience helped him get on the field as a 17-year-old, when he burst onto the scene with eight receptions for 101 yards in his very first game. Edwards went on to catch 44 passes for 590 yards (13.4 YPR) and four touchdowns while starting 12 games. Even while playing with future NFL star Deebo Samuel, Edwards was named the Gamecocks’ Offensive Most Valuable Player after he led them with 64 receptions for 793 yards (12.4 YPR) and five touchdowns in 13 starts as a sophomore.
See Where Bryan Edwards Lands In Our 2020 Dynasty Rookie Rankings
On top of his 55 receptions for 846 yards and seven touchdowns in 2018, Edwards was used in the return game for the first time. He totaled 95 yards on 12 punt returns, a 7.9-yard average. Edwards dealt with poor offensive efficiency during his senior season and he missed the final two games with a knee injury. That didn’t stop him, however, from setting a career high in receptions (71) and totaling 816 receiving yards (11.5 YPR) and six touchdowns. Edwards continued his involvement in the return game, averaging 17.9 yards on seven punt returns. He was named second-team All-SEC.
With Samuel catching passes in the NFL, Edwards inherited the role of screen master in the South Carolina offense during his senior year when more than half (36) of his receptions came on screen passes. That at least partially explains his low yards per reception average.
Edwards was unable to participate in the NFL Combine after breaking his foot while training for the event. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we won’t be able to see him at a Pro Day either, leaving him with an incomplete athletic profile.
College Stats
Bryan Edwards College Stats Courtesy of sports-reference.com
Positives
+48.4-percent (94th-percentile) Dominator
+17.8 (100th-percentile, Freshman Season) Breakout Age
+Was responsible for over 20-percent of his team’s receiving yards in all four seasons
+Effective on all three levels
+27 broken tackles over the last two seasons
+Routinely makes highlight reel grabs
+2.58 yards per route
+4-percent drop rate
+7.6 YAC per reception
+7.1 receptions per game
+19 career punt returns (11.6 average)
+50-percent of team receiving touchdowns
https://twitter.com/B__ED89/status/1241810928204746754?s=20
Negatives
-11.5 YPR (11th-percentile)
-Senior; non-early declare
-Missed the Combine due to a broken foot
-Focus drops
-Never had more than 846 yards in a season
-36-of-71 (50.7-percent) receptions in 2019 were screens
-6-of-13 on contested catch opportunities in 2019.
-8.5 average target distance
-Four deep receptions in 2019
Highlight Reel
Best Comparable Player (PlayerProfiler): Corey Davis
NFL Draft Projection: Third Round
Bottom Line:
There is so much to unwrap with Edwards’ profile to understand what kind of dynasty prospect he is, especially considering his lack of athletic testing. He is a senior/non-early declare, however will be 21-years-old at the start of his rookie season and he broke out at age 17(!!). His low yards per reception and target distance numbers and his reliance on screen passes to compile receptions are concerning, but his market share numbers are some of the most impressive in the 2020 class.
The bottom line is, there is more to like in Edwards’ profile than not. He projects as a complimentary starter/WR2 who will play a “big slot” role at the next level. He is a dynamic player that will receive carries on jet sweeps and end-arounds and will be available as a returner, helping him get on the field and make an immediate impact as a rookie. Bryan Edwards will be a great value in dynasty rookie drafts this spring and is one of my favorite targets in the mid-second round.
Resources: DLF, PlayerProfiler, NFL.com, PFF
