Central Michigan's Brian Edwards loses final NCAA transfer appeal, will sit out in 2019
After losing cornerbacks Sean Bunting and Xavier Crawford to the NFL, the Central Michigan football team needed a boost to the secondary.
It seemed as if Brian Edwards would solve those problems as a defensive back transfer from Florida.
But the Chippewas are going to have to wait a year to get him on the field.
Edwards' final appeal for immediate eligibility was denied by the NCAA, Jim McElwain said. He will sit out the entire 2019 season before playing in 2020. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
"He will redshirt," McElwain said on his way out of media availability Wednesday.
Undergraduate transfers at the Division I level are required to sit out for one season, unless the NCAA approves a waiver granting immediate eligibility. For the NCAA to approve a waiver, the certain athlete needs to show documented situations out of their control that affects their health, safety or well-being.
McElwain never said what Edwards’ waiver case entailed, and Edwards has not been made available to reporters since his arrival.
Edwards' initial waiver was denied in early September, and he started the appeals process immediately after hearing the NCAA's decision.
Coming out of Miramar High School in Hollywood, Florida, Edwards was a three-star prospect. He was ranked No. 575 in the nation, No. 58 at cornerback and No. 77 in the state.
Edwards picked Florida over Colorado, Louisville and Miami (Fla.), among others. McElwain was the Gators' coach at the time of his recruitment and first year at the collegiate level.
In his two seasons playing for Florida, of which one was in 2017 for McElwain, Edwards played in 18 games. He spent time at the safety position and on special teams.
The 6-foot-2, 192-pound defensive back was expected to be in a backup position at safety for the Gators in 2019 if he would've stayed. Even though he was used as a safety beforehand, CMU would've likely put him at cornerback this season. That opportunity is now out of the picture.
Edwards was arrested for first-degree misdemeanor battery of his girlfriend in May and spent time at the Alachua County Jail, but the charges were later dropped in June due to insufficient evidence for the state attorney's office to pursue the case.
"First and foremost, I obviously recruited Brian. He's a wonderful kid," McElwain said. "I love his mom. One thing I always tell every one of the kids I recruit is, 'I'm here for you, and I'll do everything I can to help you.'"
McElwain did not give any new updates on defensive end Deron Irving-Bey, who is working on receiving a waiver of his own from the NCAA.
