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Donovan Edwards

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Donovan Edwards
Edwards with Michigan in 2024
Michigan Wolverines – No. 7
PositionRunning back
ClassSenior
Personal information
Born: (2003-02-25) February 25, 2003 (age 21)
West Bloomfield, Michigan, U.S.[1]
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight210 lb (95 kg)
Career history
College
Bowl games
High schoolWest Bloomfield (MI)
Career highlights and awards

Donovan Edwards (born February 25, 2003) is an American football running back for the Michigan Wolverines. He has won three consecutive Big Ten Conference titles and a national championship in 2023. Edwards is the only player in college football history to have multiple 40-yard touchdown runs in a national championship game.

Early life

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Edwards was born in 2003 in West Bloomfield, Michigan, the son of Kevin and Donna Edwards.[2] His mother, Donna, died from cancer in 2005 when Donovan was two years old. He was raised by his father, Kevin Edwards Sr and older brother Kevin Jr.[3] Edwards' grandfather, Charlie Primas Jr, won Mr. Basketball in Michigan in 1950.

Edwards played high school football at West Bloomfield High School, under head coach Ronald Bellamy, who would later join Edwards at the University of Michigan as an assistant coach. He was high school teammates with Makari Paige and Semaj Morgan. As a senior, in 2020, he rushed for 1,502 yards and 30 touchdowns, leading West Bloomfield to a Division 1 state championship.[4]

Edwards was honored as the 2020 Gatorade Michigan Football Player of the Year,[5] selected as the captain of the Detroit Free Press 2020 Dream Team,[6] and was named Mr. Football for the state of Michigan. He was rated as a five-star recruit by 247Sports.[7]

College career

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Freshman season

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In December 2020, Edwards committed to the University of Michigan. He announced the decision on ESPN, choosing Michigan over the University of Georgia, University of Notre Dame, and the University of Oklahoma.[8] He enrolled early at Michigan in January 2021.[9]

In the 2021 season, Edwards rushed for 174 yards on eight carries and caught 20 passes for 265 yards. He scored his first two touchdowns against Northern Illinois on September 18, 2021, a 4-yard and 58-yard touchdown.[10] In the first half of the Big Ten Championship Game against Iowa on December 4, Edwards threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to Roman Wilson, after receiving a backward pass from quarterback Cade McNamara.[11]

Sophomore season

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In 2022, Edwards played in 11 games, with three starts. Edwards rushed for 991 yards, had 200 yards receiving, and scored 9 touchdowns. He earned his first career start against Michigan State on October 29, and totaled 80 yards in the win.

Edwards rushes for his second touchdown against Ohio State in 2022.[12]

On November 26, Edwards led Michigan to a 45-23 victory against rival Ohio State in Columbus, rushing for 216 yards with touchdown runs of 75 and 85 yards in the fourth quarter.[13]

The following week, in the Big Ten Championship game, Edwards rushed for 185 yards and one touchdown against Purdue to win the conference championship, and earn the Big Ten Championship MVP award.[14]

On December 31, in the Fiesta Bowl (CFP Semifinal), Edwards rushed for his third straight 100-yard game with 119 yards on 23 carries in the loss to TCU.[15]

Junior season

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In 2023, Edwards played in all 15 games on Michigan's national championship team, finishing with 746 rushing and receiving yards, 5 touchdowns and a career high 30 receptions.

In the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship, Edwards rushed for 104 yards, including touchdown runs of 41 and 46 yards. He became the first player in college football history, since the BCS launched in 1998, to have two rushing touchdowns of over 40 yards in a national championship game, and led Michigan to victory versus the Washington Huskies.[16] [17]

Donovan Edwards (104 yards) and Blake Corum (134 yards) also became the first pair of teammates in college football playoff history to each rush for over 100 yards in the national championship game.[18]

Senior season

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Entering his senior season, Edwards was ranked as one of the top running backs in college football prior to the 2024 season.[19][20][21] He was named one of the three cover athletes for EA Sports College Football 25.[22][23]

Edwards assumed the role as the leader for the Wolverines in 2024 and was voted as team captain, filling both the starting running back and leadership position held by his predecessor Blake Corum.[24][25] After a slow start to the season, in week three versus Arkansas State, Edwards rushed for 82 yards and scored his first rushing touchdown of the season; second total touchdown.[26] In week four against the USC Trojans, Edwards rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown.[27] In week six versus Washington, Edwards carried the ball 14 times for 95 yards and a touchdown.[28] In week nine versus Michigan State, Edwards accounted for 64 total yards, including the game deciding 23 yard touchdown pass to Colston Loveland in the fourth quarter, as Michigan defeated the Spartans 24-17.[29]

Statistics

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College statistics
Michigan Wolverines
Season Games Rushing Receiving
GP GS Att Yards Avg TD Rec Yards Avg TD
2021 12 0 35 174 5.0 3 20 265 13.3 1
2022 11 3 140 991 7.1 7 18 200 11.1 2
2023 15 1 119 497 4.2 5 30 249 8.3 0
2024 1 1 11 27 2.5 0 2 0 0.0 1
Career 39 5 305 1,689 5.5 15 70 714 10.2 4

Personal life

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Edwards is a devout Christian.[30]

References

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  1. ^ "Donovan Edwards". ESPN.
  2. ^ "Donovan Edwards". University of Michigan. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  3. ^ Farrell, Perry A. (September 24, 2018). "Mom's memory drives West Bloomfield's Donovan Edwards". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  4. ^ Purcell, Jared (January 23, 2021). "'They can't catch me': Michigan signee Donovan Edwards runs wild in West Bloomfield's state title win". mlive. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  5. ^ Fisher, Jeff (May 15, 2021). "Donovan Edwards of West Bloomfield is named Gatorade Michigan High School Football Player of the Year". High School Football America. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  6. ^ McCabe, Mick; Dunlap, Keith; Wilson, Wright (January 31, 2021). "Meet the Detroit Free Press 2020 football Dream Team". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  7. ^ Brown, Brandon (January 30, 2021). "Michigan Early Enrollee Earns State's Highest Honor". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  8. ^ Sang, Orion (December 16, 2020). "Donovan Edwards picks Michigan football on national signing day". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  9. ^ Brown, Brandon (January 10, 2021). "Star Michigan Signee Donovan Edwards Goes Off". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  10. ^ Zuke, Ryan (September 19, 2021). "Michigan RB Donovan Edwards scores first career TDs: 'There's gonna be many more runs like that'". mlive. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  11. ^ Kosko, Nick (December 4, 2021). "Michigan RB Donovan Edwards throws 75-yard touchdown in Big Ten Championship Game". 247Sports. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
  12. ^ "Donovan Edwards 85 Yard Touchdown Run - Michigan vs Ohio State". Youtube.
  13. ^ Breiler, Christopher (November 28, 2022). "Edwards Makes U-M History Against Buckeyes". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  14. ^ Garcia, Tony (December 4, 2022). "Michigan football beats Purdue for second straight Big Ten title". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  15. ^ McMann, Aaron (June 12, 2023). "Michigan RB Donovan Edwards reportedly played through second injury in 2022". mlive. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  16. ^ Hole, Isaiah (January 12, 2024). "Donovan Edwards' patience and faithfulness paid off in biggest moment". Wolverines Wire. USA Today. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  17. ^ Wilson, Dave (January 9, 2024). "Donovan Edwards had his breakout game for Michigan at just the right time". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  18. ^ "Michigan Wins CFB National Title". American Football Coaches Association. January 10, 2024. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  19. ^ "Ranking college football's top 10 running backs in 2024". ESPN.com. March 8, 2024. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  20. ^ Chadwick, Max (February 15, 2024). "College Football: The top-10 returning running backs for the 2024 season". PFF. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  21. ^ Brumm, Luke (May 13, 2024). "Top Five for 2024: Running Back Edition". Mike Farrell Sports. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  22. ^ Rittenberg, Adam (May 16, 2024). "Hunter, Ewers, Edwards share video game cover". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
  23. ^ "Michigan RB Donovan Edwards Joins "NFL Total Access"". NFL.
  24. ^ McMann, Aaron (March 20, 2024). "Michigan RB Donovan Edwards 'has a chip on his shoulder,' motivated in new role". mlive.com. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  25. ^ McMann, Aaron (August 22, 2024). "Michigan football's 4 captains for 2024 aim to follow blueprint for success". mlive. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  26. ^ "Michigan v. Arkansas State (2024)". ESPN.
  27. ^ "Michigan v. USC (2024)". ESPN.
  28. ^ "Michigan v. Washington (2024)". ESPN.
  29. ^ "Michigan v. Michigan State (2024)". ESPN.
  30. ^ Hole, Isaiah (December 30, 2023). "Donovan Edwards shares his Christian testimony, staying patient in 2023 season". Wolverines Wire. USA Today. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
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