It's only been one day since Padres rookie minicamp practices began, but at least one rookie is drawing attention. Immediately after Friday's session ended, The Athletic's Mark Kaboly sent out a positive tweet about UDFA running back Daijun Edwards, saying he “looks the part.”
It's not a big deal, and running backs usually look competent in unpadded practices, especially run sessions, which are difficult to evaluate. But it's one worth stashing away to keep an eye on for the rest of the summer and into training camp.
A post-draft scouting report on Georgia's leading rusher in 2023 suggested he could be a sleeper. His 4.71 40 is evident on tape, and although short and long distance speed is an issue, he was a productive runner with vision, patience, and contact balance. Our report said he was “disgustingly difficult” to tackle with a knack for bouncing off would-be tacklers. His lateral agility was also a plus, allowing him to make defenders miss in short spaces.
In four years with the Bulldogs, he rushed for nearly 2,100 yards, 5.3 yards per carry, and scored 24 total touchdowns. His senior season was his most productive, finishing with 881 yards and 13 points. Edwards' best performance was the win against Vanderbilt, where he rushed 20 times for 146 yards and one touchdown.
Edwards's patience with vision, in a narrowly defined sense, is similar to that of Le'Veon Bell. As we wrote earlier this year, Edwards said Bell was one of the backs to watch.
But Edwards is more than just a runner. His pass protection was solid, tough and fearless, similar to Jalen Warren. And for his first three seasons, he played mostly on special teams, including coverage units, until 2023, when he became the team's starting back and was removed from fourth-down duties.
Pittsburgh's top three running backs won't be taken off the depth chart. Najee Harris, Jalen Warren and Cordarrelle Patterson are secured. Although the Steelers cannot keep four running backs, there is a good chance Edwards will remain on the team's practice squad. There is little competition at the moment, as he is competing with futures contract running back Aaron Champklin. Veteran Jonathan Ward is in minicamp but is currently unsigned. He is an exceptional veteran in tryouts.
We'll be keeping an eye on Edwards when the team reports to training camp. When the pads come on, that's when he's truly appreciated.