The new year starts off with a big announcement for Wisconsin offensive tackle David Edwards, as the redshirt junior announced on Tuesday that he will declare for the 2019 NFL Draft and not return for his final year of eligibility.
Edwards played in 36 career games with 29 starts in his time at Wisconsin. A high school quarterback that was originally recruited and initially played as a tight end, he made the switch to offensive line as a redshirt freshman in 2016. He would go on to lock down the right tackle position and become one of the mainstays of an emerging group of players that opened holes for Corey Clement, Dare Ogunbowale and Jonathan Taylor.
During a 2017 season where Taylor claimed Doak Walker Award finalist honors, Edwards himself earned a consensus second-team All-Big Ten selection, plus All-America honors from the following publications:
- First-team (AFCA)
- Second-team (FWAA, Walter Camp)
- Third-team (Associated Press)
This season, Edwards started in all 10 games he played. However, he suffered a reported left shoulder injury, playing through the year then sitting out the final three games. Wisconsin officially listed the injury as a left arm ailment late during the season.
Redshirt freshman Logan Bruss took over for Edwards and started the last three games at right tackle, including the 2018 Pinstripe Bowl win over Miami on Dec. 27. With that experience gained, Bruss becomes a strong candidate to take over the position with Edwards’s departure.
As of Dec. 19, Wisconsin’s line helped the offense rank seventh in the nation in rushing at 268.4 yards per game. Against Miami in the bowl win, whose defense came into it holding teams to under 128 per contest, the Badgers ran for 333 yards.
That now makes three UW offensive linemen who will be eligible for the NFL Draft later this year, as Edwards joins redshirt seniors Michael Deiter and Beau Benzschawel. Wisconsin could potentially lose four starters from this year’s squad if redshirt sophomore center Tyler Biadasz declares as well. Biadasz told reporters after the bowl win that he was still undecided.