Experienced defensive back who will compete for time at free safety this fall ... Tallied 4 tackles, including 3 solo stops in Maroon and White Spring Game (4/11/15).
2014: Played in all 12 games his junior season ... Recorded 6 solo tackles and a fumble recovery ... Named MSU Special Teams Player of the Week for win at Central Arkansas (9/20/14) with a key solo tackle ... Posted 3 solo stops and a fumble recovery at FCS national runner-up Illinois State (10/25/14) ... Also had solo tackles in final two games -- vs. North Dakota State (11/15/14) and at UNI (11/22/14) ... Received MVFC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award as well as MVFC Honor Roll distinction ... Also named to MSU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll both semesters ... Logged 5 tackles and a fumble recovery in the Maroon and White Spring Game (4/26/14).
2013: Saw action in all 12 games in his debut with the Bears ... Registered 6 total tackles, including 4 in the home win over Indiana State (11/2/13) ... Earned MSU Special Teams Player of the Week for game at Murray State (9/14/13) ... Also logged stops at Iowa (9/7/13) and at Southern Illinois (11/9/13) as well as a fumble recovery against Northern Iowa (11/16/13) ... Named to Athletic Director's Honor Roll for spring 2014 semester ... Had 7 tackles in Maroon and White Game (4/20/13).
2012: Spent the 2012 campaign in residence, per NCAA transfer rules.
Valparaiso: Played all 11 games at cornerback for the Crusaders as a true freshman ... Tallied 49 tackles and 4 pass break-ups for Coach Dale Carlson in 2011 to finish fifth on the team ... His 33 solo tackles ranked fourth on the squad ... Notched season-high 16 total tackles, including 13 solos against Morehead State (10/1/11) ... Recorded 6 stops at Youngstown State (9/10/11) with 4 solos ... Also had 4 solo stops in games at Drake (10/22/11) and at Marist (11/5/11) ... Also returned 4 kickoffs for 60 total yards (15.0), including a season-long 22-yard return at Davidson (11/19/11).
High School: A four-year letterwinner as a running back and linebacker for Coach Brian Simmons at Cardinal Ritter High in St. Louis ... Earned All-State third-team accolades in both 2008 and 2010 ... Archdiocesan Athletic Association Running Back of the Year and Punt Returner of the Year as a senior ... AAA Skill Position Player of the Year in 2010 ... First Team All-AAA linebacker as a sophomore and earned second team All-AAA running back honors as a junior ... Twice named team's Offensive Player of the Year ... Earned Post-Dispatch All-Metro second team honors in 2010 ... Scored 23 touchdowns as a senior and 21 as a junior ... Rushed for 1,471 yards as a senior team captain ... Also ran track at Cardinal Ritter.
Personal: John M. Edwards was born 2/20/93 in St. Louis, Mo. ... Son of Jimmie and Stacy Edwards of St. Louis ... Has two siblings, Murphy and Ashley ... Majoring in Psychology.
