Report: Raiders Had First-Round Grade on South Carolina WR Bryan Edwards Before Injury

It might take a season to get him ready, but the Raiders have high hopes for former South Carolina wide receiver Bryan Edwards.

With size (6’3), speed (though he wasn’t timed at the combine), and toughness, Edwards has drawn comparisons to Terrell Owens. Safe to say, if he wasn’t injured in his senior year at South Carolina, Edwards probably would not have been drafted by the Raiders, who did not own a second-round pick in the 2020 draft.

“After this season, look for third-round pick Bryan Edwards, who is still rehabbing his surgically repaired ankle, to possibly start at the “X” position,” league insider Adam Caplan wrote on Thursday. “[Tyrell] Williams, who carries a base salary of $11m for this season (became fully guaranteed 3 days after the Super Bowl), has no guaranteed money past this season.

“Edwards doesn’t figure to have much of a role this season, but he was drafted with the belief that he could start down the line,” Caplan continued. “And the Raiders were one of many teams that felt he was a first-round talent just based on tape study, but his injury history dropped him down draft boards.”

Ironically, the player Edwards may ultimately replace (Williams) is also coming off an injury in 2019. Also like Williams, Edwards figures to bring a physical presence to Jon Gruden’s vertical attack on offense.

Additionally, the South Carolina standout comes from a home of two former military parents and has been described as a hard worker that doesn’t add unnecessary drama (also like Williams in that regard) to the locker room.

How do suppose Gruden will appreciate a personality like that?

Edwards leaves South Carolina as the school’s all-time leader in receptions (234), receiving yards (3,045), consecutive games with a reception (48), and is second on their all-time list in receiving touchdowns (22). Not bad considering the list of receivers to play for South Carolina includes Sterling Sharpe, Sidney Rice, Alshon Jeffery, Troy Williamson, and Deebo Samuel.

twitter: @raidersbeat

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