The Recruiting Guy

Defensive tackle recruit plays like a linebacker

An Arkansas football helmet sits on the ground prior to a game between the Razorbacks and Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, in Lexington, Ky.
An Arkansas football helmet sits on the ground prior to a game between the Razorbacks and Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, in Lexington, Ky.

University of Arkansas defensive tackle target Montra Edwards Jr. has recorded an impressive number of tackles that's usually reserved for linebackers.

Edwards, 6-3, 290 pounds of Lexington (Miss.) Holmes County Central recorded 134 tackles in 13 games along with 23 tackles for loss, 17 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, an interception and 2 blocked field goals as a senior while being named Defensive MVP for Region 2-5A.

"He lives in the backfield," Holmes County Central Coach Marcus Rogers said. "Our linebackers didn't get a lot of tackles this year."

His junior season saw him record 107 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, 16 quarterback hurries, 4 recovered fumbles and a forced fumble.

"We have some Friday nights we'll put him at nose guard and he'll whup the center all night," Rogers said. "That's how he got a lot of his tackles. He's a versatile kid. He can play inside. He can play on the edges a little bit."

Edwards has accumulated scholarship offers from Missouri, Florida State, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Kentucky, Nebraska, Colorado, Michigan and others during the recruiting process. The former Missouri commitment announced an offer from Arkansas on Sunday.

He also announced plans to make official visits to Fayetteville on Jan. 17-19, Missouri on Jan. 24-26 and Maryland on Jan. 31- Feb. 2.

Rogers and Edwards' father played football together at Jackson State in 1997-1999 and have been coaching together since 2010. Edwards Sr. is the defensive coordinator at Holmes.

The younger Edwards plays with a high football IQ.

"He's an athletic kid that's pretty much a student of the game with having his dad at home," Rogers said.

Edwards was recruited by Missouri defensive line coach Brick Haley while working for Arkansas defensive coordinator Barry Odom. Rogers Sr. is fond of Barry Odom.

"I think Coach Odom is a very genuine guy," Rogers said. "It's unfortunate what happened to him at Missouri, but I knew he would land on his feet. I knew once Coach Pittman hired him at Arkansas i knew the dominos would start to fall."

Edwards, who has a 385-pound bench press and a 550 squat, is an ESPN 3-star recruit. He visited Arkansas in March with his father, Rogers and his son Khamauri, a sophomore cornerback with an Arkansas offer from the previous staff.

"He loved it," said Rogers of Edwards "He enjoyed the place. We talked about it all the way home. He liked the facilities He also liked the academic center first and foremost."

He was selected to play in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game and helped the Mississippi squad to a 17-16 victory on Saturday. In a rarity for Holmes County Central, Edwards started for the Jaguars as a freshman.

"He's been starting for me since the ninth grade," Rogers said. "He's never missed a game. He's made every start since he was a freshman. We've made the playoffs four straight years with him playing on the defensive line. He played in the spring game as an eighth-grader going into his ninth grade season. Ever since then, I felt like he was going to be special."

Rogers said the younger Edwards is a joy to be around.

"He's just a great kid, he loves football, he loves his family," Rogers said. "He just likes to have fun. He has fun when he's out there on the field."

Email Richard Davenport at [email protected]

Sports on 12/17/2019

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