Ray Edwards, the youngest player on the Vikings’ roster at 21, made two eye-opening plays in the last six minutes of the Vikings’ pre-season win over Baltimore last week. First, the rookie defensive end made a sprawling attempt to sack quarterback Brian St. Pierre who then hurriedly threw an interception to Willie Offord leading to a Vikings’ field goal. In the final two minutes of the fourth quarter Edwards stripped the ball from St. Pierre and Khreem Smith picked up the fumble to score on a 29-yard touchdown run.
Only days before the game defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin said the Vikings’ fourth round rookie draft choice was “trying to make the team at this point.”
He also said, “He is doing a nice job of etching out a potential spot for himself. That will continue to develop over the next two weeks.”
Edward’s performance against the Ravens was some nice “etching” and fit with his reputation as a potentially talented pass rusher. At Purdue Edwards tied for second in sacks in the Big Ten Conference as a sophomore and although he played only three seasons for the Boilermakers he is tied for seventh among the school’s career sack leaders.
Asked to evaluate himself as if he were a scout, Edwards said, “Definitely can get to the quarterback. Definitely got a great first step.”
The 6-foot-5, 268-pound Edwards, who said he wants to improve his performance against the run, left Purdue after his junior season. The Boilermakers’ 2005 season was one of disappointment and discontent. The team returned all 11 starters on defense along with a veteran quarterback, had an early season top 20 ranking, hit a six game losing streak and finished with a 5-6 record, missing a bowl game for the first time in coach Joe Tiller’s nine year career at Purdue. There was plenty of finger pointing and talk about attitudes.
In another scenario, Edwards may well have been drafted higher but the Vikings, including Scott Studwell, the team’s director of college scouting, were happy for the opportunity to draft the gifted college pass rusher in the fourth round. “I was a little disappointed (not to be drafted higher) but everything happens for a reason,” Edwards said. “I can’t be no better than where I am at right now. I am happy here and I think I will continue to stay happy here.”