Ray Edwards DE 6’6 272 Purdue Jr.
By: Robert Davis

Purdue has had some standout pass rushers that have moved on to the NFL like Shaun Phillips and Roosevelt Colvin, and Ray Edwards may be next. In a part time role as a freshman, he was named to the Big 10 All Freshman team. Once he moved into the lineup as a sophomore, he became a major threat off the edge. He finished the season with eight sacks, to go along with 45 tackles(11 for loss). This past season as a junior, his numbers dipped a bit, but he still finished the year with 28 tackles, 11 for loss, and 5.5 sacks.

Edwards has big time upside at the next level. He has the size and natural athleticism that teams covet in the draft. He displays a quick burst off the line, and the agility to slip past tackles to get into the backfield. He has a lot of pass rush upside. He also has the size to hold at the point in the running game, and has the frame to pack on more weight.

There are a couple problems in Edwards’ game. For as talented as he is, he does not dominate the way he should. He could have 15 sacks if he put everything together on a game to game basis. He still relies on his athleticism too much, and does not give full effort on every play. There is also some talk that he did not take to coaching very well, and that played a big role in his decision to leave. His attitude may need to be checked out by teams to see if he is willing to put forth the effort to get better.

On upside, Ray Edwards could be as high as the third best defensive end in this draft. Edwards is a boom or bust player. He could be a star, or he could be out of the league in three years. He could be a late first rounder, or he could fall to Day Two. It’s up to Ray to show how much he wants to succeed.