Edwards goes through Pro Day
by Steve Behr Sports Editor
By Steve Behr
sports@wataugademocrat.com
With two mass auditions under his belt, former Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards will conduct a handful of individual workouts for NFL teams before the draft, which is in April.
Edwards and five other Mountaineers - cornerback Cortez Gilbert, defensive tackles Anthony Williams and Malcom Bennett, linebacker Jacque Roman and tight end Tim Frye - participated in Appalachian State's pro day held at Kidd Brewer Saturday.
Edwards, who did not run the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, ran a consistent 4.4 time for 10 NFL teams Tuesday.
The teams in attendance included the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers. Edwards has individual workouts scheduled with the Jaguars, Panthers, Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots in the near future.
Edwards grew up in Greenwood, S.C. and attended college in Boone, but said he did not have a preference of where he wanted to play.
"I'll play for any team in the league," he said.
Edwards, a two-time Walter Payton Award winner, is the only player in Division I history to pass for over 10,000 yards and rush for 4,000 more. He threw for 10,392 yards and 74 touchdowns in 51 games at Appalachian State, and gained 4,361 on the ground, scoring 65 more TDs. He churned out 1,4753 yards in total offense, second all-time to Steve McNair of Alcorn State.
Yet, Edwards is getting as much attention as a potential receiver and kick returner as he is a quarterback. He said he has not been looked at either playing running back or on defense.
Reports from the combine in Indianapolis said scouts were impressed with his arm strength, but size could be a problem. Edwards was measured at 5-foot-11 and weighed in a 182 pounds. The sore hamstring that kept him from running at the combine has heeled and he said his knees, which he injured during his junior and senior seasons, got a clean bill of health from doctors at the combine.
It allowed teams to talk to him more about football and less about his health or his durability.
"With every team it varies," Edwards said. "Some see me at quarterback, some at receiver, some at both quarterback and receiver."
Edwards said he played some receiver in high school, but was exclusively a quarterback at Appalachian State. He said he felt comfortable running at receiver, and said it took a little adjustment when it came to fielding punts in the wind at Kidd Brewer Stadium.
The biggest adjustment he's had to make is taking snaps from under center. At Appalachian State, he exclusively took snaps out of the shotgun.
He'd rather play quarterback, but is open to playing any position as long as he could catch on in the NFL. He said he felt he had a chance at it after a sophomore season that saw him lead the Mountaineers to a third national championship and a monumental 34-32 victory over then No. 5 Michigan.
"Ever since I started playing football I wanted to play in the NFL," Edwards said. "After my sophomore year, I thought I might be able to after it started coming up. After my sophomore year it seemed realistic."
sports@wataugademocrat.com
With two mass auditions under his belt, former Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards will conduct a handful of individual workouts for NFL teams before the draft, which is in April.
Edwards and five other Mountaineers - cornerback Cortez Gilbert, defensive tackles Anthony Williams and Malcom Bennett, linebacker Jacque Roman and tight end Tim Frye - participated in Appalachian State's pro day held at Kidd Brewer Saturday.
Edwards, who did not run the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, ran a consistent 4.4 time for 10 NFL teams Tuesday.
The teams in attendance included the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers. Edwards has individual workouts scheduled with the Jaguars, Panthers, Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots in the near future.
Edwards grew up in Greenwood, S.C. and attended college in Boone, but said he did not have a preference of where he wanted to play.
"I'll play for any team in the league," he said.
Edwards, a two-time Walter Payton Award winner, is the only player in Division I history to pass for over 10,000 yards and rush for 4,000 more. He threw for 10,392 yards and 74 touchdowns in 51 games at Appalachian State, and gained 4,361 on the ground, scoring 65 more TDs. He churned out 1,4753 yards in total offense, second all-time to Steve McNair of Alcorn State.
Yet, Edwards is getting as much attention as a potential receiver and kick returner as he is a quarterback. He said he has not been looked at either playing running back or on defense.
Reports from the combine in Indianapolis said scouts were impressed with his arm strength, but size could be a problem. Edwards was measured at 5-foot-11 and weighed in a 182 pounds. The sore hamstring that kept him from running at the combine has heeled and he said his knees, which he injured during his junior and senior seasons, got a clean bill of health from doctors at the combine.
It allowed teams to talk to him more about football and less about his health or his durability.
"With every team it varies," Edwards said. "Some see me at quarterback, some at receiver, some at both quarterback and receiver."
Edwards said he played some receiver in high school, but was exclusively a quarterback at Appalachian State. He said he felt comfortable running at receiver, and said it took a little adjustment when it came to fielding punts in the wind at Kidd Brewer Stadium.
The biggest adjustment he's had to make is taking snaps from under center. At Appalachian State, he exclusively took snaps out of the shotgun.
He'd rather play quarterback, but is open to playing any position as long as he could catch on in the NFL. He said he felt he had a chance at it after a sophomore season that saw him lead the Mountaineers to a third national championship and a monumental 34-32 victory over then No. 5 Michigan.
"Ever since I started playing football I wanted to play in the NFL," Edwards said. "After my sophomore year, I thought I might be able to after it started coming up. After my sophomore year it seemed realistic."