Troy Edwards
Encyclopedia
Troy Edwards is a professional American football
player who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers
in the 1st round (13th overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft
. A wide receiver
from Louisiana Tech University
, Edwards led the nation in receiving during his senior year in college with 140 receptions for 1,996 yards and 27 touchdowns. One of the most prolific receivers in NCAA history, Edwards was awarded the Fred Biletnikoff Award
in 1998 and was named Offensive Player of the Year by The Sports Network
.
Edwards played his first three years with the Steelers before being traded to the St. Louis Rams
before the start of the 2002 season
. After spending one year in St. Louis, Edwards spent the next two seasons playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars
, and then a single season with the Detroit Lions
. In the 2006 offseason, he was signed by the Jaguars, only to be cut before the start of the season.
He most recently played for the Grand Rapids Rampage
of the Arena Football League before being released in April 2007.
Jarett Dillard
). His 140 receptions is the third most in NCAA Division I-A history, two behind Houston's
Manny Hazard
who had 142 in 1989, but 15 behind Bowling Green's
Freddie Barnes
who caught 155 in 2009. His 1,996 receiving yards gained is also the second most in NCAA I-A history, behind Nevada's
Trevor Insley
who had 2,060 yards in 1999.
In the 1998 season opener versus the University of Nebraska, Edwards had 21 catches for 405 yards. His yardage gained in that game was the most ever by a college wide receiver, a record which has since been broken.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in the 1st round (13th overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft
1999 NFL Draft
The 1999 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 17-18, 1999...
. A wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
from Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
, Edwards led the nation in receiving during his senior year in college with 140 receptions for 1,996 yards and 27 touchdowns. One of the most prolific receivers in NCAA history, Edwards was awarded the Fred Biletnikoff Award
Fred Biletnikoff Award
The Fred Biletnikoff Award has been presented since 1994 to America's top college football receiver by the TQC Foundation, Inc. , an independent not-for-profit organization which created the award in 1994 and has sponsored it since...
in 1998 and was named Offensive Player of the Year by The Sports Network
The Sports Network
The Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
.
Edwards played his first three years with the Steelers before being traded to the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
before the start of the 2002 season
2002 NFL season
The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each...
. After spending one year in St. Louis, Edwards spent the next two seasons playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and then a single season with the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
. In the 2006 offseason, he was signed by the Jaguars, only to be cut before the start of the season.
He most recently played for the Grand Rapids Rampage
Grand Rapids Rampage
The Grand Rapids Rampage was an Arena Football League team that began playing as a 1998 expansion team. They were coached by Steve Thonn.-History:...
of the Arena Football League before being released in April 2007.
College career
His 27 touchdown catches during his senior year at Louisiana Tech is the NCAA Division 1-A season record. He held the NCAA record in career touchdown receptions with 50 (since broken by Rice'sRice Owls
The Rice University athletic teams are known as the Rice Owls. The name comes from the owls in Rice's crest.Rice participates in NCAA Division I athletics and is part of Conference USA. Rice was a member of the Southwest Conference until its breakup in 1996. Rice then joined the Western Athletic...
Jarett Dillard
Jarett Dillard
Jarett Juma Porter Dillard is an American football wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played college football for Rice. He is also the cousin of Rutherford's LeRon Dillard.-College career:...
). His 140 receptions is the third most in NCAA Division I-A history, two behind Houston's
Houston Cougars football
The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...
Manny Hazard
Manny Hazard
Manny Hazard is a former professional American football wide receiver who played collegiately at the University of Houston and in the CFL for the Toronto Argonauts....
who had 142 in 1989, but 15 behind Bowling Green's
Bowling Green Falcons
The Bowling Green Falcons are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Bowling Green State University, located in Bowling Green, Ohio. The Falcons participate in NCAA Division I in the Mid-American Conference and the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. BGSU is one of only 13 universities in the...
Freddie Barnes
Freddie Barnes
Freddie Lee Barnes is an American football wide receiver currently a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2010...
who caught 155 in 2009. His 1,996 receiving yards gained is also the second most in NCAA I-A history, behind Nevada's
University of Nevada, Reno
The University of Nevada, Reno , is a teaching and research university established in 1874 and located in Reno, Nevada, USA...
Trevor Insley
Trevor Insley
Trevor Insley is a former American football wide receiver. He played in the NCAA for the University of Nevada from 1996-99. He holds the NCAA Division I-A records for career receiving yards , most 200 yard receiving games , most 100 yard receiving games , and is ranked third in career receptions...
who had 2,060 yards in 1999.
In the 1998 season opener versus the University of Nebraska, Edwards had 21 catches for 405 yards. His yardage gained in that game was the most ever by a college wide receiver, a record which has since been broken.