Former Aquinas and UMaine star Edwards hopes to make NFL dream a reality
ORONO, Maine (BVM) — In 2015, an undefeated Aquinas Institute went on to dominate Saratoga in the Class AA NYSPHSAA Football State Championship game. That game’s most valuable player was Earnest Edwards.
Edwards was a force in the Little Irish’s 44-19 state title win. The senior caught three touchdown passes, blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown — all in the first half. Edwards’ day wasn’t over as he intercepted a pass in the third quarter. He capped off his championship game with 286 receiving yards, four touchdowns, an interception and a recovered fumble. Edwards’ high school coach, Derek Annechino, was able to recall some of the special abilities that he possessed.
“Earnest was the best player in the area for two years when he was playing for us, scoring touchdowns, making plays on defense, just making plays all the time,” Annechino said. “There was one play [in the championship game] he made at least 10-12 defenders miss, some guys missed him twice. It was a little out [route] that we threw to him and he ended up turning it into a 70 yard run and he got knocked out at the one.”
Now more than four years after that historic performance, Edwards, the two-time state champion, has wrapped up his student-athlete career at the University of Maine. The all-time leading receiver for the Black Bears didn’t start out as an elite wide receiver at the program.
“I’ve grown tremendously, it took a lot of hard work in the offseason, working on my receiving game,” Edwards said. “I learned a couple things from playing receiver more, there’s always something you can improve in. My biggest thing was getting every little technique down, from route running, to using your hands, whatever it is. Just finding ways to get better at receiver.”
In his first two seasons, Edwards was deployed all over the field. On offense, he showed the ability to pass, run, and catch. In his college career, he’s thrown for five touchdowns, run for three and caught 28. He was also a playmaker on special teams with four kick return touchdowns. Edwards’ versatility was a focal point in UMaine head coach Nick Charlton’s offense, who watched him score in 16 of his last 17 games.
“This is a young man who’s an athlete, who’s very approachable,” Charlton said. “He’s very intelligent, so it’s not always just returning, which he is obviously very special and elite at. He has skillsets that translate to a lot of different areas. He’s thrown for four touchdown passes for us this year. He’s just a very different, elite athlete for us. He’s a guy who wants to win in everything he does, so he views everything as a competition. He always attacked everything we did with that sort of personality.”
After his senior season, Edwards hoped to secure his spot on an NFL roster. Before the April draft, the UMaine receiver participated at the Rochester Pro Day in New York, showcasing his elite speed with a 4.41 second 40-yard dash. After feeling tightness in his hamstring, he bowed out of other activities for the day.
Edwards moved one step closer to his goal, securing an undrafted free agent contract with the Los Angeles Rams after the 2020 NFL Draft concluded. He sees his versatility playing a major role as he looks to make it on the 55-man roster or practice squad.
“That’s going to be big time for me, knowing I can do more than one thing,” Edwards said of his versatility. “That’s what NFL teams like. Wherever they need me at, I can excel in it; special teams, returning, or even being the gunner, running down and making tackles. I feel like it’s going to take me a long way because I can do more than one thing.”
“I think as guys watch the tape, if you look at the last two years, he’s our all-time leading receiver, he’s our all time leading kick returner, so the explosiveness is there,” Charlton said. “I think if you look at the FBS games he played in, he excelled in all those games he played in as well.”
Edwards’ former coaches aren’t surprised by his success and will continue to back him as he makes good on his NFL dream.
“It’s not a surprise at all; he was a gifted athlete and a gifted player,” Annechino said. “He went and did everything we thought he could do at the FCS level. It wouldn’t surprise me if he catches on and makes a team and plays on Sundays.”
