Film Room: Tru Edwards

Kentucky had a lot of building to do at wide receiver this offseason. A new coach, new starters, and new depth pieces were all needed. The Wildcats have added assistant coach L’Damian Washington and nine new players to roster with five high school signees and four transfer additions. The final piece might have been the biggest one.

Louisiana Tech transfer Tru Edwards could be WR1 for Kentucky in 2025.

Kentucky adds a fourth wide receiver from the transfer portal, Louisiana Tech WR Tru Edwards. #BBN

Edwards totaled 989 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns this past season, earning All-CUSA honors.

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The class of 2019 product began his collegiate career in junior college before stopping at Hawaii for one season. Edwards then spent three seasons playing for head coach Sonny Cumbie at Louisiana Tech and will now get to play in the SEC thanks to the blanket waiver that all former junior college players are expected to receive due to Diego Pavia‘s lawsuit.

What will the seventh-year player who will turn 24 years old in June bring to Bush Hamdan‘s offense? A position switch in 2024 seemed to unlock the veteran receiver.

Productive big slot

Tru Edwards was predominantly an outside wideout during his first two seasons at Louisiana Tech. The wideout recorded 23 receptions (36 targets) for 284 yards and two touchdowns as a redshirt junior in 2023 while slot receiver Smoke Harris (83 receptions on 99 targets) received most of the slot snaps.

Harris (5-7, 183) was your typical small and shifty inside wide receiver. Edwards (6-3, 201) brought a different body type to the position and became the offense’s best player. The Bulldogs struggled to move the football (No. 122 in success rate) and score points (No. 108 in points per drive, No. 123 in EPA/play). However, Edwards posted solid efficiency metrics (79% catch rate, 2.22 yard per route run, 45.7% first down/touchdown rate).

Edwards did that with route-running, contested catches, and YAC.

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Edwards is a long strider who does a good job of getting in and out of breaks to create separation. The wideout shows good ball tracking in the air and that gives him plenty of chances to win on vertical concepts. Shows the ability to high point and that led to eight receptions on 11 contested targets, according to PFF data. Once the ball was in his hands, Edwards flashed tackle breaking ability and averaged over five yards after the catch. The receiver was a threat in the open field and flashed some promising change of direction with the ball in his hands.

Potential WR1

Tru Edwards is an old and experienced wide receiver who has played a ton of football. The veteran will be moving to Kentucky coming off a career year, but will give the offense a much-needed big body at receiver who can win at all three levels.

Kentucky had to find a Dane Key replacement after the X receiver left the program for Nebraska. Key posted 2.54 yards per route run on 47 receptions for 715 yards in 2024. The veteran reeled in 11 contested catches, was used both inside and outside, and saw over 80 percent of his targets come in the short-to-intermediate passing game.

Edwards will help fill that void.

The All-CUSA performer will bring an intriguing run-after-catch skill set along with the ability to make 50/50 catches and to give new quarterback Zach Calzada a reliable target over the middle of the field. Edwards recorded 51 receptions for 677 yards between the numbers last season. Expect the transfer to fill a similar role as Kentucky’s big intermediate target.

The big slot component could give the Kentucky passing game some matchup advantages.