Latest update:Donovan Edwards display a world class humanitarian
Over the last week, the Michigan football team has seen a substantial portion of its 2023 national championship-winning roster depart for the NFL.
Though not unexpected, the Wolverines leading passer, rusher, top two receivers, top six offensive linemen and leaders in tackles, tackles for loss, sacks and pass breakups all announced they were moving on. In total, 13 starters or key rotation players with remaining eligibility declared for the NFL Draft, on top of six starters who were out of eligibility.
Despite his plans ahead of the season, Donovan Edwards wasn’t one of them
On a team full of players who had breakout seasons and improved their draft stock this fall, Edwards had what he himself would consider a letdown season. Even with a 104-yard, two-touchdown showing in the national title game, Edwards only ran for 492 yards on 4.2 yards per carry with five rushing touchdowns this season. He added 249 receiving yards, but still finished the season just 29th in the Big Ten in scrimmage yards per game — a drop-off from last season and far from where the preseason dark-horse Heisman candidate expected to be.
Even as he relishes in winning a team national title, that disappointment led to hunger, which played a role in Edwards opting to come back.
I’m still hungry,” Edwards said in an interview with Jake Butt conducted by the Champions Circle. “The season wasn’t how I wanted it to be necessarily, and just popping out the way that I did on the on the biggest stage, for me it’s like ‘that’s great.’ But you know, what’s what’s better than doing it again? What’s better than working hard in the off-season and to be able to do it again? So that’s where my mindset is. Like, I’m still hungry, and I feel like now like I’ll be, you know, one of the leaders on the team now and that’s what I want to implement to the guys.
Everybody’s gone right now, so like what we have to do is continue to stay together. Bring the young guys up have the older guys like Kalel and I mentor Cole Cabana, Ben Hall, Jordan Marshall that’s coming in you know so that’s where my mindset is