With 27 days until South Carolina football kicks off 2025, a look back at No. 27, Brad Edwards

South Carolina football will take the field for the first time in the 2025 season on August 31st when the Gamecocks take on the Virginia Tech Hokies in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. That means kickoff is just 27 days away.

With multiple excellent defensive backs wearing the number at various points in USC history, safety Brad Edwards stands out as the top No. 27 in program history. Known for impressive tackling ability and zone coverage smarts, Edwards was a big-play machine for the Gamecocks.

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Playing behind notable names like Bryant Gilliard, Joe Brooks, Ron Rabune, and Rick Rabune, Edwards was a reserve in one of the most loaded safety position rooms ever in 1984 and 1985. Upon becoming a starter as a junior in ’86, he quickly stepped into stardom. The talented safety earned All-South Independent honors in his first year in the full-time starting 11.

Edwards is one of the best defensive backs ever to play for the Gamecocks, but his senior year in the “Black Death” defense of 1987 has an argument as the best single-season ever among South Carolina secondary players.

With 130 stops and eight interceptions, Edwards led an elite Gamecock defense in both categories. He is the only South Carolina defender ever to reach those numbers in one year. His 13 passes defended in ’87 were also the third-most ever in a single season. The team captain capped off his final year with a game-sealing pick-six against the rival Clemson Tigers. It is no surprise that he earned All-American honors.

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Following his graduation, Edwards earned second-round draft selection and spent ten seasons in the NFL. Most notably, he spent four years with the Washington Redskins. While in the nation’s capital, Edwards was the team’s starting free safety. He helped the Redskins win Super Bowl XXVI over the Buffalo Bills. In fact, his performance in the game is the best ever for a former Gamecock, and he should have won Super Bowl MVP. Edwards was just third on the team in tackles, but he knocked away five Jim Kelley passes and intercepted two more. He was just one block away from a touchdown return on one of the picks.

Since his playing days ended, Edwards has remained involved with football. He was Associate AD at the University of South Carolina and has served as the athletic director at multiple schools. Edwards is now the NFL Alumni Association CEO.

Edwards was a 2013 selection to the University of South Carolina Lettermen’s Hall of Fame. He also earned induction into the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame in 2022.

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