Donovan Edwards, Michigan
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Former Michigan running back Donovan Edwards reacting after a college football game.
The New York Jets wrapped up their three-day rookie minicamp over the weekend.
Nick Faria of Jets X-Factor labeled former Michigan running back Donovan Edwards as the “biggest winner of the undrafted group in attendance this week for the Jets.”
“Edwards doesn’t have blazing speed, but he showed patience and good maneuverability to find gaping holes during 11-on-11 work. He is bottlenecked by his position at this point, but Edwards is going to make things very interesting moving forward in the running back room,” Faria explained.
Edwards, 22, won a National Championship with the Michigan Wolverines in 2023. In that championship contest versus Washington, Edwards finished with 104 rushing yards on just six rushing attempts. He averaged an astonishing 17.3 yards per clip and scored a pair of rushing touchdowns.
DONOVAN EDWARDS OPENS THE SCORING FOR MICHIGAN 😤#NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/TIaUfkNlZU
— ESPN (@espn) January 9, 2024
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Jets Beat Reporters Reached the Same Conclusion
Faria wasn’t the only one impressed with Edwards over the weekend.
“RB Donovan Edwards (UDFA) caught my eye. Got a ton of reps. Good hands, smooth out of the backfield. He should compete for a roster spot,” ESPN’s Rich Cimini said on social media.
Thoughts/observations from #Jets rookie camp:
* Definitely a different vibe under Aaron Glenn than the previous staff. Practices were more intense, and everyone participated, including draft picks. Previously, the draft picks were held out to prevent injuries.
* The latter…
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) May 10, 2025
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Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic highlighted Edwards for “standing out” during the minicamp session.
“Running back Donovan Edwards was the highest-rated player in the Jets’ UDFA class after a productive career at Michigan — and he flashed in Friday and Saturday’s practices too, showing some burst in the running game and making some plays as a pass-catcher. His path to the roster will be in the passing game, and if he can contribute on special teams,” Rosenblatt explained.
Edwards Is in the Perfect Spot to Maximize His Talents
The Jets have a deep backfield.
Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, and Isaiah Davis all got touches last year. However, there is room for one more.
Edwards crushed it in 2022, setting expectations high for his collegiate career. He averaged 7.1 yards per carry and appeared to be scratching the surface of his potential.
However, the last two college seasons, Edwards’ yards per carry average plummeted to 4.4.
Those underwhelming results were a major contributor to Edwards transforming from a potential top-100 pick to an undrafted free agent in 2025.
Regardless of his path, Edwards is now in the NFL. He signed a three-year, $2.98 million contract.
“Man, we had guys from like major division one programs, some guys from 1-AA, we had some guys from HBCUs, and I told those guys it really doesn’t matter like where you’re from or even what you did. The thing is, they have all done a great job to get in the building. Once you get in the building, you have a shot. Once you get in the building, you have a shot. I thought it was important for them to understand that,” head coach Aaron Glenn explained on Saturday, May 10.
“Once you get in the building, you have a shot.”
Aaron Glenn shares his message to the Jets at minicamp: pic.twitter.com/uSJ55rjR1l
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) May 10, 2025
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