Denver Post on Armanti Edwards

[MrTitleist]

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Appalachian State QB Edwards has skills to play multiple positions
By Jeff Legwold
The Denver Post
Posted: 04/16/2010 01:00:00 AM MDT

Of all the video I've looked at leading up to next week's draft, I have to say that watching Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards may have been the most entertaining.

He had plenty of moments worthy of a rewind to get another look.

And yet like a lot of quarterbacks who are 5-feet-10, 187 pounds, Edwards is now finding a profession that says he is too small to do what he has done for the last four football seasons.

But he went 42-7 as a starter at Appalachian State and is one of only two quarterbacks in NCAA history to throw for at least 9,000 yards and rush for 4,000 in a career. Former Missouri quarterback Brad Smith is the other.

Edwards' career total offense output of 14,753 yards in what used to be called Division I-AA, now FCS, is behind only Steve McNair all time. Edwards' speed — he ran 4.43 and 4.41 seconds in the 40-yard dash at his pro day last month — athletic ability and willingness to move all over the field (some coaches believe he could play corner at some point) will make him a popular guy next weekend.

The Broncos were one of several teams Edwards has visited in recent weeks.

To watch him is to know a big play could happen at any time — he scored 139 touchdowns in his career (74 passing, 65 rushing). He rushed for at least 941 yards in three seasons and threw for at least 2,200 yards in three seasons as well.

His signature collegiate victory will always be the season-opening win at Michigan in 2007, his sophomore year, when he threw for three touchdowns and rushed for another against a Wolverines team loaded with future pros including Jake Long, Chad Henne, Mike Hart and Mario Manningham.

Edwards is smart and instinctive, has speed in the open field and is tough to tackle. For the right team — one with the willingness to be inventive — he could certainly play quarterback, running back and wide receiver and return punts or kicks — possibly all in the same game.

The only thing that came close to slowing Edwards much during his college career was a wayward lawnmower. Edwards suffered an injured right foot last summer when, while mowing the yard at the house where he lived, the lawnmower rolled back downhill onto his foot.

Edwards was rushed to a hospital by a teammate, received some stitches and was ready to play by the team's season opener.

He also had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in January 2009 to clean up some cartilage issues, but he enters the draft as largely a healthy player with a bright future.

The NFL can be such an unforgiving place for those who have done so much in college. Often those players are left to wonder why they had been cheered so lustily on autumn Saturdays, only to find those in charge of Sunday football aren't all that interested in any of it.

But players such as Smith and Antwaan Randle-El have shown there is a place for former passers with the ability to do other things. Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, who finished with 37 catches for 359 yards and one touchdown this past season as a rookie while also returning kickoffs and punts, is a former Kent State quarterback.

The Patriots took a chance on Edelman in the seventh round of last year's draft — 232nd overall — and ended up with a productive player who will have a long career in the league.

Jeff Legwold: 303-954-2359 or jlegwold@denverpost.com

[ASUMountaineer]

Nice find, thanks Mr. T.

[ASUG8]

Thanks

Damn I miss that kid.