NFL training camps have arrived and several rookies will have their first opportunity to set foot on an NFL field. Training camp is the first opportunity for teams to review the roster and make decisions before the start of the regular season.
The roles are defined in the training field and the eyes are in each position. According to CBS Sports writer Chris Trapasso, last-minute rookies have a chance to prove that they belong to the NFL with an inspired game.
Trapasso singled out rookies to watch out for at every NFL training ground. For the Las Vegas Raiders, the decision was an easy choice.
The Raiders attracted national attention for the selection of the former Alabama sprinter Henry Ruggs III in the first round However, Trapasso also likes the rookie catcher Bryan Edwards. He believes Edwards can draw attention to himself on the field.
“But keep a close eye on Edwards, a four-year producer in South Carolina with an NFL body and a full set of skills,” said Trapasso. “If it hadn’t been for a broken foot during the pre-draft process, I wouldn’t have made it out of the second round, and I wouldn’t have criticized a team for taking it in Round 1.”
Edwards was stellar in his four-year career in South Carolina. Last season, he had 71 catches for 816 yards and six touchdowns. He also led the SEC with 7.1 receptions per game and was team captain for the Gamecocks.
Edwards holds the school record for catches (234) and receiving yards (3,045). He was an All-SEC second team pick and produced three 100-yard games.
The Raiders were impressed with his skill set and recruited him in the third round of the NFL Draft 2020. While Edwards has dealt with knee and foot injuries, he still has elite talent to make a difference in the Raiders’ offense.
NFL evaluators praise his physicality on the perimeter. It has a large frame and uses it to create separation in the field. Senior Bowl CEO Jim Nagy was excited about Edwards after seeing him thrive against Alabama last season.
In that game, Edwards had nine catches for 79 yards against a robust Alabama secondary that had multiple NFL draft picks.
“That Alabama game stands out in my mind and how tough and physical it was,” Nagy said. “I love to see a boy play like that. Now with the topic of injury it will be interesting. I don’t know how far he’ll fall because he’s a very deep catcher, but if he can bounce back and avoid those injuries and that doesn’t slow him down to the next level, man, he’s going to be a good NFL player. “
Raiders head coach Jon Gruden agrees He loves Edwards and is ready to take him to the field to show off his talent.
“We like Edwards. I have been very lucky in South Carolina, ”Gruden said. “I have to train (wide receiver) Sterling Sharpe. I had a chance to train wide receiver Robert Brooks. This guy here, Edwards, is a physical guy. He is a good player. When he is healthy, when his ankle is good, he will show it. “
If Edwards can stay healthy, it will be a potential steal for the Raiders in their interim rounds of the NFL Draft. Ruggs will have a chance to move up to the starting lineup early, but Edwards could be right behind him.
“His movie was so clean,” said Trapasso. “At 6-3 and 212 pounds, Edwards looks like a No. 1 perimeter wide, he has good athletic talents, he can create some separation, he is deceptively nimble after the catch, and he will go up and put him in traffic at all levels of the field. “
