2020 NFL Draft: Wide Receiver Earnest Edwards scouting report
By Ian Higgins
Pre Catch
In Edwards’ 11 games in 2019, 9 of them had at least one catch of 40 yards or more. His vertical speed and lateral agility are both dynamic and make him a big-play threat from any position on the field. Edwards has created separation with route running as well, not slouching on an always important part of receiving thrown to the wayside by athletic stars.
Edwards’ route-running is just the pre-catch sibling to his post-catch elusiveness and ability to make defenders miss. Shifty hips, quick feet, and deceptive eyes. His jukes and jump cuts make him one of the most difficult open-field tackles of the 2020 NFL Draft class and give him a special skill set that has become attractive to the NFL.
Even at 5-foot 10, Edwards is able to get up over the top of defenders and reel in passes assumed too high for the low-lying threat. Tyreek Hill made a play against the Texans that demonstrated why small receivers who can make plays with their verticals are still valuable. Physicality will always be a part of football, even in the process of the catch.
Finally, Edwards was projected to have a forty time in the 4.4s, but after watching tape of him beat defenders with pure speed and seeing his plays while reversing field from sideline to sideline, I believe Edwards could run a forty in the 4.3s and be among Denzel Mims, Jerry Jeudy and Justin Jefferson in terms of straight-line speed.