Daijun Edwards: 2024 NFL Draft Profile, Projection, Prediction
Few programs have been better at putting players into the NFL during the Kirby Smart era than Georgia, and this year’s draft is no different. Brock Bowers, Amarius Mims and Ladd McConkey are likely to go early. There’s the mid-round guys like Kamari Lassiter, Javon Bullard and Tykee Smith and the late-round steals like Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, Sedrick Van Pran and a pair of running backs – Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards.
Looking to hit double-digits for a third consecutive year, the Bulldogs sent 11 to the NFL Combine earlier in the process. A couple more worked out at UGA’s Pro Day. To preview it all for you, DawgsHQ takes an individual look at Georgia’s players in the draft pool, recapping their career in red and black and providing the latest projections (and a prediction of our own) for where they’ll fall on draft night.
Daijun Edwards
Edwards spent four years at Georgia, and at times, he was nothing more than the human victory cigar – ready to put games away for the Bulldogs with his presence running out the clock late. However, as his career continued along, he quickly became much more than that, leading Georgia in rushing this past season and finishing second the year before.
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Over the past two seasons, Edwards combined for 305 carries, 1,649 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground. Edwards twice topped the 100-yard mark in 2023 in a pair of his most heavily used games. Making his season debut against South Carolina, the Moultrie, Ga. native carried it 20 times for 118 yards. He had another 20 carries versus Vanderbilt, this time totaling 146 yards. In between those two games were a pair of two-touchdown performances, two of the five he had on the season including twice against top-10 competition.
Edwards also played an important part in Georgia’s 2022 season. While Kenny McIntosh played the primarily role, it was the physical running style of Edwards that got into the end zone late against Missouri to help the Bulldogs avoid an upset. That was his first touchdown of the season, and over the next month, he would total all seven including three in a rivalry game win against Auburn. He later topped the 100-yard mark versus Florida, finding the end zone twice to take down the Gators. All in all, Edwards finished his UGA career with 390 carries, 2,083 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Palmer’s Prediction: To me, Edwards is the swing-guy between Georgia having single and double digits taken in this year’s draft. It’s relatively split on mock having Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint coming off the board. There’s little to no doubt about Brock Bowers, Amarius Mims, Ladd McConkey, Kamari Lassiter, Javon Bullard, Tykee Smith and Sedrick Van Pran. Most have Kendall Milton being taken. Can Edwards go and make it 10? I’m going to say no. His 40-time was not impressive enough for a running back of his size. Yes, he plays with power, but again, at his size, that’s not the most sustainable approach. Furthermore, we’ve seen the way the running back position is valued in the NFL. Spoiler, it’s not. Like with Zion Logue, Edwards will have his fair share of undrafted free agent opportunities, and just because he doesn’t get drafted doesn’t mean he won’t play in the NFL. I could be wrong, but I don’t have a great feeling about Edwards hearing his name called.
