Undrafted rookie RB steals the show in his Jets preseason debut

Coming out of high school, Donovan Edwards was a five-star recruit who was the Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year. The West Bloomfield native had offers from practically every powerhouse program in the country, yet chose to stay home and suit up for the Wolverines.

At Michigan, Edwards, despite sharing the backfield with both Blake Corum and Kalel Mullings, emerged as one of the top running backs in the nation. He ran for 991 yards and seven scores as a sophomore, averaging a staggering seven yards per carry.

However, during his junior and senior seasons, his production declined. Edwards struggled as a between-the-tackles runner, failing to consistently gain yards after contact or break tackles. He was at his best in space, where his burst and vision could shine.

Edwards showed plenty of flashes in maize and blue — he was even one of the cover athletes in EA Sports’ College Football ‘25 — but not enough to be selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. He'd sign an undrafted deal with the Jets this spring.

Yet in his first action with his new team, he wasted no time turning heads.

Jets' RB Donovan Edwards shined in first taste of NFL action

In Saturday night’s 30-10 victory over the Green Bay Packers, the Jets focused heavily on reinforcing a ground-and-pound approach, something new offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand knows all too well from his time in Detroit.

Gang Green’s starters hardly saw the field, so it was the 22-year-old who saw a clear runway to playing time, and he delivered. On a team-high nine carries, the former national champion amassed 42 rushing yards (4.7 YPC) while tallying one reception for 21 yards.

63 scrimmage yards in your NFL debut? Not too shabby for a player who is no stranger to the bright lights. It also doesn’t hurt that Engstrand’s offense has shades of the Lions’ multifaceted run game, a scheme that could maximize Edwards’ ability to get to the edge and operate in space.

And it could have been much more, as Edwards broke loose for a 73-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, only for it to be negated by a holding penalty. Had it stood, he would have finished with 115 rushing yards and a score, which would have boosted the runner’s 90.6 PFF grade (which was already second-best on the team) even higher.

For an undrafted rookie in a crowded backfield, every snap is an audition. Breece Hall is entrenched as the lead back, but he's entering a contract year while Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis are already fighting for complementary roles. 

If he keeps stacking performances like this, “The Don” could potentially crack the 53-man roster and push for real playing time.

But even if he doesn’t last in New York, there will be a place for him somewhere — whether it be on the Jets’ practice squad or another team’s Week 1 roster. For now, it’s just one game, but Edwards made the perfect first impression, and he’s here to remind people he isn’t going quietly.

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