French Camp Academy’s Bradley Edwards is a busy man.
If Edwards is not at FCA lifting weights and getting prepared for the upcoming football season, you might find him cutting grass or putting up fences.
One place you will certainly find Edwards this season will be on the football and baseball fields for French Camp, making him one of the Eleven To Watch for 2019 for the Choctaw Plaindealer/Webster Progress Times.
Already joining Edwards on the list are Israel Whitmore, Tylan Carter, and Calvin Talley of Choctaw County High School; Parker Burleson, Conner Shurden, and Caleb Massey of East Webster; and M.J. Thomas and Deunte Watson of Eupora.
French Camp coach Nathan Wright knows that Edwards is somebody who he can count on.
“Bradley has been with us a while,” Wright said. “We don’t always get that blessing here. He is one that has been here since he was in seventh grade, all the way through. Bradley is going to bring you everything he has got. He is easy to coach and is fun to be around. He is a likable kid — ‘yes sir, no sir.’ Anytime you have a kid that just is willing to lay it all on the line it makes fun, and he’s willing to do that.”
Edwards returns for his senior year after leading the Panthers with 88 tackles from his inside linebacker position last year. He was named an all-division pick for the Panthers at linebacker.
“He has been playing inside linebacker for a while so he has some pretty good instincts there,” Wright said. “I wish he was a little bit bigger for the position he was playing but he gives you everything he has. He is aggressive and will fly to the football. He is a good tackler. At that position he will have a lot of tackles. We had to play a lot of defense last year so that led to him getting a lot of tackles.”
Last year, Edwards was mainly a blocking tight end for the Panthers. This season, Wright said Edwards, who stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 180 pounds, will start fall camp as the starting running back.
“He may end up having to change and play running back for us,” Wright said. "He has never played that. He played tight end last year. He is one of those that will do whatever you need him to do. When he was a freshman, he played some fullback. We know he will be our middle linebacker and likely play running back. He’s not exceptionally fast but he’s quick and has a good first step. He is athletic and can do a lot of things for us. We have been working on him catching the ball this summer and he has gotten a lot better at that.”
Edwards said he prefers defense but will do whatever the coaches ask him to do.
“I had more of a stronger presence on defense last year and I played tight end on offense,” Edwards said. “I was just excited to be out there but I’m not really built to be a tight end. I had OK numbers but I live for defense. On defense, it’s very man to man and you have to be very aggressive. It’s all about the matchup. I just like the physical part of football.”
Edwards also understands that he will have more than one role change this season for the Panthers.
“They have talked to me about being a senior,” Edwards said. “You have to go from the one being led to being the leader. That’s a drastic transition, going from a position where you could look at somebody else to take on that role to where it’s now your problems and you are the one expected to take care of it. We have some young guys and football has a sense of urgency and it’s important to instill that in the young guys or some fo the older guys who haven’t played that long.”
Not only is Edwards a standout on the football and baseball fields, where he was an all-division pick in both sports, but he is a standout in the classroom. Edwards said he has a made a 28 on the ACT and has a 3.8 GPA.
Wright said if Edwards wanted to play college football, there should be a place for him somewhere.
“I think he could play at a smart school if that’s something that he desires,” Wright said. “He’s smart enough to do what he wants to do but we will see how much he loves athletics and wants to keep playing. I think he is in the best shape of his life right now. His daddy played at Holmes but I don’t know what Bradley will do.”
Edwards said he definitely wants to play college football, even if he has to walk on somewhere. But no matter where he goes, Edwards said he would like to go into pre-law and eventually end up at Ole Miss and get his law degree.
“If somebody will let me go play college somewhere, I’ll go do that,” Edwards said. “The end goal is I would like to get a major in pre-law and go to Ole Miss. I eventually want to be a lawyer. Sometimes I take it as an insult when people tell me that I would make a good lawyer. If I was offered a walk-on spot, I’d take it. I just want to play in college somewhere to be able to say that’s something I did. If I have to take an academic scholarship and do a walk-on spot, I’m not to proud to do that. I’m above nothing, I’d play football anywhere.”
Edwards also plays on the baseball team where he is the starting catcher. Last year, he hit .291 with 17 runs scored and 10 RBIs.
“He has gotten a lot better in baseball,” Wright said. “He’s our catcher and one of those kids that didn’t grow up playing it. Last year, I looked at him one game last year and told him ‘Boy, you have become a catcher.’ He really looked good but has his moments. He became our leadoff hitter by the end of the year. He is just a very coachable kid and that’s what got him that role. He tries to do what you want him to do and he tries hard to do it like you want it done.”
Edwards said he spends most of his summer time lifting weights or working but also finds time to spend with his girlfriend. But Edwards said he also enjoys duck hunting and deer hunting.
“I don’t have a lot of spare time in the summer,” Edwards said. “I love duck hunting. Honestly, it’s more of a social event. You get out there at 4 a.m. with your buddies. It’s just an experience. They don’t like me to call but I like to call. I guess they don’t want me running those ducks off.”
