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A few players whose stock is higher than anticipated: #Georgia LB Roquan Smith, #VTech LB Tremaine Edmunds, and #Arkansas C Frank Ragnow. pic.twitter.com/EEwSTTUPUz
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 24, 2018
The jewel of the Hokies football team in terms of draft prospects, Tremaine Edmunds is kind of the thing that everyone wants in a modern linebacker. To think that he was only a four-star linebacker for Rivals, while 247 and ESPN had him only as a high three-star prospect. Tremaine is the youngest of the three Edmunds brothers, with brothers Trey and Terrell also being either current NFL players or prospects. Not super surprising considering their father, Ferrell Edmunds, was a fairly accomplished tight end at the NFL level for several years, landing in two Pro-Bowls. Coached by their father at Dan River High, all three brothers went to the Hokies. It’s still surprising his offer list was limited (others include UNC, Virginia, Southern California, Maryland, Kentucky, and Cincinnati).
Tremaine was only a starter for two years, but his impact was ridiculous. He ended his career with 226 tackles, 35 tackles for a total loss of 127 yards, with 10 sacks to drop 58 yards total, and four forced fumbles and an interception for turnover totals. He was second-team all ACC in 2016, but this past year he was first team all ACC, third team All-American, and a Dick Butkus award Finalist.
The funny thing is that Tremaine was just so good and solid all the time I don’t have a single play in mind to justify all this hype. I can’t visualize just one thing he did. I guess it comes down to playing linebacker and of course just excelling at all the smaller things that gets you that many tackles for loss and sacks and such. There is something to be said about consistent good play becoming so expected that it’s boring. I know that the criticisms are that he’s still raw and young (though that also is a strength). He also is apparently thought of to both be impatient and yet somehow slow to diagnose? Weird combination of traits. Interesting thing is that everything that the NFL seems to like about him is all physical, and somehow not mental. But hey, what do I know.
Look, let’s not beat around the bush anymore. Tremaine’s likely to go high. The 49ers are supposedly in love with him (let’s not get carried away about news in the silly season, though, so some warning that ALL OF THESE COULD BE LIES). On NFL.com, he ranges somewhere between 8-13 (low to the Redskins, high to the Bears). CBS Sports has him off the board at 12th to the Colts. The ESPN NFL Nation Mock had him go 13th to the Redskins; Peter King has him going 12th, too.
Either way, Tremaine is sure to be a top pick in the draft, and we wish him the best of luck in his NFL career. Go Tremaine, and Go Hokies!