Conway native and South Carolina WR Bryan Edwards joins former Socastee rival on NFL team
Conway’s Bryan Edwards is joining a former Grand Strand rival on the wide receiver corps of the Las Vegas Raiders.
The South Carolina receiver was selected in the third round of the NFL Draft on Friday night – with the 81st overall pick – by the Raiders, who already have former Socastee High and Clemson star receiver Hunter Renfrow on the roster.
“You won’t regret it,” Edwards told Raiders coach Jon Gruden on the phone when he was informed he was selected, which was caught in a video posted to the Gamecocks’ social media accounts.
The Raiders selected Renfrow, a two-time national champion with the Tigers, in the fifth round of last year’s draft and he caught 49 passes for 605 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie.
Edwards holds most of the Gamecocks’ primary career receiving records.
In four years as a starter he set records for career receptions (234) and receiving yards (3,045), as well as most consecutive games with a catch (48) with a reception in every game in which he appeared. He also ranks third in school history with 22 career receiving touchdowns, just one behind both Sidney Rice and Alshon Jeffery.
This past season, Edwards led the Gamecocks with 71 catches, 816 receiving yards and six touchdowns, and had five catches or more in nine of his 10 games — a knee injury kept him out of the final two games against Texas A&M and Clemson.
At 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds, Edwards combines good size with good speed, giving him the ability to win one-on-one battles for the ball while also stretching the field or working inside, which he did at times in college.
Edwards was listed as the No. 10 wide receiver prospect by NFL.com in an extremely good and deep class at the position with a grade that placed him squarely in the projection of being a “starter within the first two seasons.” He was widely projected to be selected in the second through fourth rounds.
Edwards is coming off a foot injury. On Feb. 2, he broke the fifth metatarsal on his left foot, which is connected to the small toe on the side of the foot. It happened when he made a cut while running a route in preparation for the NFL Combine.
He had surgery and recently took off a protective boot, and is expected to be cleared for all football activities within a couple weeks.
“He would have been in the second round in this draft if he had a chance to be healthy going through the process,” said NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah following Edwards’ selection.
The Raiders loaded up on SEC pass catchers in the first two days of the draft. They selected Alabama receiver Henry Ruggs III in the first round and Kentucky’s Lynn Bowden in the third round, one pick ahead of Edwards.
“I think when you look at Ruggs, when you look at Bowden, when you look at Bryan Edwards, we’re more dynamic, not only on offense, but trust me Henry Ruggs is a kick returner and Lynn Bowden is a punt returner, and we’re really excited about that also,” Raiders general manager Michael Mayock told NFL Network.
This story was originally published April 24, 2020 at 11:07 PM.
