Donovan Edwards, a former Michigan runner, led the Jets into the plane during the preseason, but that wasn't enough to win him a spot on the team's 53-man roster this season.
New York gave up an undrafted rookie Tuesday, which was laid off in the NFL.
Edwards performed well at the NFL Combine and ran a 4.44-second 40-yard dash, but that didn't lead him to hear his name called Draft. The Jets gave him a lot of work in the preseason, with a team-high 26 carrys of 89 yards and touchdowns. The top 50 recruits from West Bloomfield High also ran with long touchdowns as the team punished the Packers’ preseason opener.
Edwards also showed his passing ability, with four of them receiving 39 yards, but he wasn't one of four defenders who made up the team.
From the moment he arrived in Michigan, Edwards oozed confidence. He rushed yards with 991 yards in his sophomore year in 2022, with an average of 7.1 yards per carry, but his work has been lowered by the last two seasons.
Still, Edwards is responsible for some of Michigan’s biggest moments in the 2021-23 Big Ten Championship three years. In 2022, he rushed for 216 yards and two touchdowns at Ohio State and was named the MVP of the Conference Championship game against Purdue, with a total of 185 yards and scores.
Edwards made two touchdowns for more than 40 yards in a 2023 national championship victory against Washington. But his profession is also defined by inconsistencies. He averaged under 5 yards per carry in 2023 and 2024 and never starred in the Michigan backcourt.
“I feel like I'm meeting expectations somehow,” Edwards said on the NFL combine in February. “I did what I needed to do. Will my legacy become what I want? Yes. I know I can do more, but I don't regret being there. Ultimately, for me, I don't care about every opportunity I have. What I appreciate for all the fans who support me is that I'm happy for everything I do. I want to do it.”
If Edwards is unclaimed on the waiver, he can join the Jets' practice squad.
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