When in shape, Edwards, Jr. is a dominant against the run and scheme versatile.
The Oakland Raiders grabbed a very talented and versatile defender in Florida State defensive end Mario Edwards, Jr. Thursday in the second round of the NFL draft with the 35th pick.
Edwards, Jr. is a Florida State and NFL Legacy, as his father played for the Dallas Cowboys. Junior is much bigger than his father, however, checking in at 6'3 and 278 pounds.
Edwards, Jr. was a five-star recruit and redshirted his freshman season, but he came on to have a dominant 2013 campaign in which Florida State won the national title. Edwards, Jr's hand work and strength simply overwhelmed many opposing offensive tackles.
Edwards, Jr. has incredible athleticism and body control for his size, being able to do standing backflips at over 300 pounds. Of course, being over 300 pounds was at times a problem for him as he failed to control his weight to be at his best. NFL teams will have to wonder if Edwards, Jr. can keep his weight in check.
But the weight also presents questions as to his best fit in the NFL. Teams may see Edwards as more of a true 4-3 end, 3-4 end, or even a 3-tech defensive tackle in a 4-3 defense.
Despite not being a great pass rusher, at his best (see him handle Greg Robinson of Auburn in the National Championship Game), Edwards, Jr. is a surefire 1st round value. His ability to set the edge against the run and collapse the pocket is just that good. And he did battle knee and concussion injuries in 2014, which hurt his performance on the field and his ability to condition off.
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