In 2022, RB Jaylen Warren quickly emerged as the Pittsburgh Steelers camp darling. From the moment the pads came on, he caught everyone’s attention, shining during the backs on ‘backers drill. His energy, tenacity, power and versatility allowed him to easily make the team’s 53-man roster, beating out Anthony McFarland Jr.
In 2024, Daijun Edwards could create the same buzz. Undrafted from Georgia, he’s short but stocky. Edwards is a hard runner and annoyingly hard to tackle, and he doesn’t mind getting his nose dirty in pass protection or covering kicks and punts. The only problem is his path to a roster spot is more daunting than what Warren faced.
Watch Edwards’ tape, and you can’t help but smile. No, the production wasn’t overwhelming. He rushed for barely more than 2,000 yards in four seasons with the Bulldogs. He never cracked the 900-yard mark in a single season, and his 5.3 yards per carry feels underwhelming for the college ranks, though the SEC isn’t the place to rip off consistent long gains. Go to the Big 12 for that.
But when he got the ball, defenses had a heck of a time bringing him down. At 5-9, he has a low center of gravity, making him a load to bring down. His overall power might not be immense, but he runs his feet and constantly falls forward. When he isn’t barreling ahead, he’s making deft cuts side-to-side. His lateral quickness is his best trait, a stop-start runner who can break ankles in a phone booth.
But a guy like Daijun Edwards can’t just carry the ball to glory. His touches will be limited, but he’s useful in other areas. He’s fearless in pass protection, even if his lack of size might get him steamrolled from time to time. Edwards has heart and want-to, which are critical skills to keep your quarterback upright. And before he became the Georgia’s lead back in 2023, Edwards played plenty on special teams. Per PFF, here are his special team’s snaps year-by-year.
2022: 95
2021: 128
2020: 15
He wasn’t the primary returner, either. Many of his snaps came covering kicks and punts or serving as an upman on the return unit, blocking to try to spring the returner.
So Edwards has the talent. The problem? Making the 53 will be challenging. Pittsburgh’s top two runners are locked in. Najee Harris and Warren aren’t going anywhere. Clearly. And Cordarrelle Patterson being left off the roster would be an upset. He seems a lock to be the team’s starting kick returner who should piece together snaps on offense, be it in the backfield or split out wide. Unless the team carries four true running backs, Edwards is blocked.
That makes the practice squad his best bet. There will be competition there, too. Pittsburgh smartly added to its running back depth around OTAs, signing veterans Jonathan Ward and La’Mical Perine. Their Sunday experience gives them a leg up, especially a versatile player like Ward. But talent is talent, and if Edwards impresses like Warren did, he’ll stick around in some capacity, which is all an undrafted player can ask for.
