Continuing our coverage of the 2012 Florida State class we have a update on FSU target Mario Edwards, Jr. Edwards is a 6'4 270 lbs defensive end out of Billy Ryan High School in Denton Ryan, Texas. He is considered a top 30 player nationally and already carries a 5 star rating from Scout. Edwards is the son of former Florida State defensive back Mario Edwards.
We have come to find out that Edwards Jr. has no plans to attend any schools Junior Days. He will be coming to Tallahasse during his high school's spring break the second weekend of March with his father. Along with his scheduled visit in March, Edwards plans to attend Jimbo Fisher Camp this summer. Despite early rumors of a commit to FSU, Edwards doesn't plan to announce his decision until the 2012 Under Armour All-American game.
One thing that could come into play is the previous relationships that Mario Edward Sr has developed throughout his career. Manny Diaz current University of Texas defensive coordinator has been a friend of Edwards Sr dating back to 1998 when Diaz was a graduate assistant under Mickey Andrews. Edwards Sr also forged a relationship with new University of Florida head coach Will Muschamp that dates back to 2005 when both were employed by the Miami Dolphins. This is not to say that Edwards Sr doesn't have a good relationship with the Florida State staff with assistant strength and conditioning coach Terrell Buckely being a good friend of his.
This past season, Edwards Jr. finished with 32 tackles for loss and 12 sacks, leading his team to the 4A Texas State Championship Game. Edwards Jr. won the 4A Defensive Player of the Year to go along with First Team 4A All State honors and the 2010 U.S. Air Force All-America Team presented by Max Preps.
Evaluation of Mario Edwards Jr.:
The first thing you notice about Edwards while watching him is a how he can move so well for such a big man. Edwards is reminiscent of Clemson defensive end Daquan Bowers on the hoof and is a great player just like Bowers against both the run and pass. Edwards is all of 6'4". He carries his weight well and for a kid of about 265 pounds and has room to play close to 285 while losing some baby fat. As a pass rusher Edwards shows a elite first step to go along with solid speed. He is a violent player with his hands showing a great initial punch to knock an offensive tackle backwards and accelerate to the quarterback. In the run game Edwards uses his strength to push blockers into the backfield disrupting the play. He shows good tackling fundamentals wrapping up the ball carrier low and knocking him backwards. Edwards shows great backside pursuit when the play is run to the other side, showing off his impressive speed. One thing Edwards can work on is coming off the ball too high which causes blockers to get under him and gain leverage. This can easily be corrected by Coach Eliot at the next level. The sky is the limit for Edwards, he possesses elite tools in a well developed body. We believe with continued development Edwards has 1st round NFL type talent.
TexasPreps - Mario Edwards Denton Ryan DE (via TexasPreps)