Edwards started all 12 games he played in his freshman year at South Carolina in 2016. He had 44 receptions for 590 yards and four touchdowns. As a true freshman, Edwards earned Athlon's Freshman All-America second-team honors and All-Southeastern Conference Freshman first-team accolades. As a sophomore in 2017, he started all 13 games and led the team with 64 receptions for 793 yards and five touchdowns.[5] As a junior in 2018, he had 55 receptions for 846 yards and seven touchdowns.[6] During his senior year in 2019, he passed Kenny McKinley's school record for career receptions and Alshon Jeffery's school record career receiving yards.[7][8] He played in the first 10 games of the season before suffering a season-ending injury. He finished the season with 71 receptions for 816 yards and six touchdowns. For his career, he had 234 receptions, 3,045 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns.[9]
Edwards was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders in the third round with the 81st overall pick of the 2020 NFL draft.[11] The Raiders obtained this pick along with two first round picks as part of the trade that sent defensive end Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears.[12]
Edwards made his first career start and NFL debut in the Raiders’ season-opening win against the Carolina Panthers, notching 1 reception for 9 yards on one target. The following week against the New Orleans Saints, Edwards recorded 2 receptions for 42 yards on two targets in the 34–24 win. In the Raiders’ Week 3 contest against the New England Patriots, Edwards recorded 2 receptions for 48 yards on 3 targets before leaving the game with an ankle injury. He missed Weeks 4 to 8 recovering from the injury. After returning from the injury in Week 9, Edwards lost his starting job to Nelson Agholor and took on a depth role for the remainder of the season. In the Raiders’ season finale against the Denver Broncos, Edwards recorded 2 receptions for 51 yards and his first career touchdown catch during the 32–31 win.[13] Edwards finished his rookie season appearing in 12 games (3 starts) and recording 11 receptions for 193 yards and a touchdown.
Atlanta Falcons
On May 13, 2022, the Raiders traded Edwards along with a 2023 seventh-round pick to the Atlanta Falcons for a 2023 fifth-round selection.[14] On November 24, 2022, Edwards was released by the Falcons.[15]