Donovan Edwards, RB, Michigan
Size:
Height: 5113
Weight: 205
Arm: 30”
Hand: 10”
Accomplishments:
Michigan Offensive Rookie of the Year (2021) • Four-star recruit
“Donovan Edwards is an athletic and versatile running back whose straight-line speed allows him to be an effective back working the perimeter of defense in the run game and as a pass-catcher.”
Strengths:
Big-play speed
Receiving playmaker
Versatility
Concerns:
Inconsistent vision
Pass protection
Open-field elusiveness
Lower-body tightness
Film Analysis:
Donovan Edwards entered the 2024 season as a captain of the Michigan football team, a cover athlete for CFB25, and the RB1 for the Wolverines after splitting carries in previous seasons. Edwards in previous years showed that he had big-play ability, showing his open-field explosiveness and the impact he can have in the passing game as a receiving option out of the backfield. Edwards is a dual-threat, three-down playmaker who has thrived in Michigan’s run-first offense.
As a runner, Edwards is experienced in both gap and zone concepts. He runs with solid patience and tempo to allow his OL to make contact with the defense—to lead him to daylight. He does not need a huge alley to run through and does a great job getting skinny to run through small creases at the line of scrimmage.
Edwards is a one-cut slashing style runner, who thrives getting north and south quickly to generate big plays. He is a playmaker who needs the football by any means necessary. Michigan does a good job featuring and mixing up his carries with manufactured touches—jet sweeps, screens, pre-snap motions, etc. He is a dangerous player in space due to his combination of burst and speed in the open field. He offers an NFL-ready build/frame with good contact balance to fight through initial tackles to fall forward with momentum. He flashes physicality and converts speed to power downhill to be an effective between-the-tackles runner at the next level.
Edwards is a mismatch in the passing game. His usage throughout his career is an example of that. He aligns in multiple spots and helps give the QB coverage indicators with motions. Edwards runs routes and catches passes from the backfield, slot, and outside as the sideline WR. His speed and ball tracking make him a difficult cover for some safeties, let alone linebackers. With his height and weight, Edwards looks like a wide receiver.
Edwards can stand to improve his pass protection process and technique. Although he is expected to be used as a receiving option on third downs, he must be able to keep the QB clean in case max protection is called. He doesn’t scan the line of scrimmage consistently to identify weak areas of protection before leaking out in the pass progression. Edwards is willing to attack blitzing backers and free runners but doesn’t use his hands to latch and gain control of the defender.
Although Edwards is best in the open field, his path to win is linear, utilizing speed. There is hope that he can become more elusive and creative in a phone booth in one-on-one situations. He slashes and cuts by defenders but doesn’t show the ability to make them miss when squared up. Also, he does not negotiate quick pressure from the defense well, his feet stop, and he is caught in the backfield for a loss.
Although Edwards entered the year in the feature back role for Michigan, there appeared to be a mid-season transition to running back and draft-classmate Kalel Mullings as he appeared to be the more effective and efficient back for the Michigan offense. For context, Edwards finished the season with a little more than 100 carries and under 600 yards rushing, which misses the mark that was thought to be reached by Edwards before the season started.
Right now, Edwards projects as a dual-threat running back who can be utilized early in his career in the passing attack. Edwards excels enough as a receiver that potential consideration for a position/role change could be an option and he may be considered more of an offensive weapon and carve out a unique role for himself in the NFL versus being considered solely as a running back.
Prospect Projection: Day 3 — Role Specific Contributor
Exposures: Texas (2024), USC (2024), Oregon (2024), Ohio State (2024), Washington (2023), Penn State (2023), Ohio State (2022), Penn State (2022), TCU (2022)
