Las Vegas Raiders

Edwards Jr.: Raiders offer 'a chance to redeem myself'

Published Aug. 5, 2015 12:01 a.m. ET

foxsports

Mario Edwards Jr. sees a bloated, sluggish version of himself when he watches his old Flordia State tape.

The Raiders' second-round pick hates it. He's determined to change as a professional pass-rusher.

“I look at it as a chance to redeem myself,” Edwards told CSN Bay Area. “I was highly recruited out of high school and didn’t do what I wanted to do in college."

Everyone expected Edwards Jr. to blossom into a Jadeveon Clowney-type player. The former No. 1 prep recruit never lived up to the hype, though.

His weight issues haunt him the most. At times, Edwards Jr. suited up for the 'Noles as a 300-pounder. It's no wonder he only tallied eight career college sacks -- he was too gassed to get to opposing passers.

Edwards has lost over 30 pounds since then, but he hasn't lost the bitter taste that college left in his mouth.

“Deep down, I know how I should have played in college and where I could’ve went in the NFL Draft if I could have gotten some of my personal things under control," he said. "I feel like I have those things under control, so now it’s only about going out there and playing.”

(h/t CSN Bay Area)