MARCH 4, 2010 ISSUE
Edwards Throws, Doesn’t Run at NFL Combine
Former ASU quarterback Armanti Edwards was invited to take part in the NFL Combine last weekend. Unfortunately a hamstring injury prohibited Edwards from showing off his running skills, but the two-time Walter Payton Award winner was able to demonstrate his throwing ability.A minor hamstring injury didn’t allow former ASU quarterback Armanti Edwards the chance to use his legs at the NFL combine over the weekend in Indianapolis, but he was able to throw.
According to a posting on BleacherReport.com, Edwards was one of five “winners” among the quarterback position, as he “looked good throwing the football to go along with excellent athleticism.”
ESPN reporter John Clayton wasn’t all that impressed with any of the quarterbacks in the group that Edwards threw with.
“
People have been suspecting my height was always a problem, but NFL teams still want to see me at quarterback. But if it doesn’t work out, I’m openly willing to play another position.
” —Armanti Edwards
Edwards was in a group that included Troy’s Levi Brown, West Virginia’s Jarrett Brown, Penn State’s Daryll Clark, Oregon State’s Sean Canfield, Western Michigan’s Tim Hiller and Northwestern’s Michael Kafka.
“This isn’t to dismiss the chances of a good quarterback coming from that group, but it’s pretty clear that these guys will be developmental players initially in the NFL,” Clayton wrote about the grouping.
Clayton did make specific mention of Edwards, though, in his story titled “Quarterbacks Don’t Excite at Scouting Combine.”
“Edwards was interesting because he does have some power behind his throws, but the launching point of some of his tosses was at three-quarter angles or lower,” Clayton wrote.
Maybe Edwards could have impressed Clayton, and subsequently NFL scouts and coaches, more if he had the chance to run the 40-yard dash.
Edwards’ hamstring, though, stopped him from performing in most of the drills, except for the throwing portion.
Edwards told The Charlotte Observer that he planned to run for scouts on March 16 at a pro day at ASU.
It might have been better for Edwards’ draft stock if he ran at the combine because all of the teams were there and not all teams will likely make the trip to Boone for the pro day.
If healthy, Edwards would have probably run some routes as a wide receiver, too, just to show that he could play quarterback and other positions in the NFL.
Edwards, whose height was measured at 5-foot, 11-inches at the combine, knows that some scouts question if he can play quarterback in the league.
“People have been suspecting my height was always a problem, but NFL teams still want to see me at quarterback,” Edwards told The Charlotte Observer. “But if it doesn’t work out, I’m openly willing to play another position.”
ESPN’s top draft analyst, Mel Kiper, told the newspaper that he predicts Edwards to be a fourth or fifth round pick but that a different position is possible.
“He’s going to have to adjust to being a slot receiver,” Kiper said. “You don’t draft him as a wildcat quarterback either [although] you [could] utilize him in that area when need be.”
The “wildcat” position has become the newest trend among NFL teams, as they line up a running back or wide receiver in the shotgun position to run the ball. The “wildcat” quarterback also might attempt a pass or two.
Edwards looks to be a solid fit for that role, as the two-time Walter Payton Award winner did both well for the Mountaineers. He finished his career with 10,392 passing yards and 4,261 rushing yards as he threw for 74 touchdowns and ran for 65.
The NFL draft begins on April 22.
Edwards is the second Mountaineer in three years to earn an invitation to the NFL combine. Two years ago, wide receiver Dexter Jackson ran the 40-yard dash in 4.27 seconds at the combine, which matched the fastest hand-timed time at the event.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers picked Jackson in the second round later that year. He is now with the Carolina Panthers.
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