Tuesday saw the Browns make a pair of signings fans of college football -- particularly the Big Ten -- might find more interesting than others.
Wide receiver Armanti Edwards and offensive lineman Reid Fragel are from different parts of the country, but they will find at least one experience about which they can relate: beating Michigan.
Edwards was the quarterback in 2007 when Appalachian State shocked the college football world by going to Ann Arbor and beating the fifth-ranked Wolverines 34-32. He completed 17 of 23 passes for 227 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions and also ran for 62 yards. The Mountaineers went on to win the win the NCAA FCS national championship -- their third straight -- by defeating a Delaware team quarterbacked by Joe Flacco.
Fragel was a four-star Scout.com recruit in 2008 when he picked Ohio State over offers from Cincinnati and Michigan State. After three years as a contributor at tight end, he became the starter at right tackle last season for the undefeated Buckeyes. During the Grosse Point (Mich.) South product's time in scarlet and gray, Ohio State went 3-1 against the Wolverines. The Bengals chose him in the seventh round of April's draft.
Here is the full press release from the Browns, who also placed wide receiver Travis Benjamin on IR and re-signed wide receiver Tori Gurley to the practice squad:
Browns sign Armanti Edwards, Reid Fragel
BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns on Tuesday signed offensive lineman Reid Fragel off the practice squad of the Cincinnati Bengals and added free agent wide receiver Armanti Edwards. The club also placed wide receiver Travis Benjamin (knee) on injured reserve. In addition, the team re-signed wide receiver Tori Gurley to the practice squad.
Edwards, whose first name is pronounced R-MON-tee, is 5-11, 190 pounds and in his fourth NFL season out of Appalachian State. Originally drafted by Carolina in the third round (89th overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft, Edwards appeared in 39 regular-season games with the Panthers. He recorded five receptions for 121 yards (24.2 avg.) and two carries for 12 yards (6.0 avg.), while adding 36 punt returns for 253 yards (7.0 avg.) and 15 kickoff returns for 295 yards (19.7 avg.). He appeared in four games this year and was waived by Carolina on Oct. 8.
A college quarterback, Edwards is the first player in NCAA Division I history to throw for more than 10,000 yards and rush for more than 4,000 yards. He compiled a 42-7 (.857) record as a starter and helped the Mountaineers capture two national championships. Edwards was the catalyst for one of the biggest upsets in college football history as he led Appalachian State to a 34-32 victory over No. 5 Michigan in Ann Arbor on Sept. 1, 2007. He accounted for four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing), as the game marked the first time a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) team defeated a ranked Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) school. Edwards is a native of Greenwood, S.C., where he attended Greenwood High School.
Fragel, whose last name is pronounced FRAY-guhl, is a 6-8, 305-pound rookie out of Ohio State. Selected by Cincinnati in the seventh round (240th overall), Fragel spent the first eight weeks of the season on the Bengals’ practice squad.
Fragel was a tight end his first three seasons at OSU before converting to tackle for his senior season. He appeared in 51 games for the Buckeyes with nine starts at tight end and 12 at tackle. Fragel is a native of Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich., where he attended Grosse Pointe South High School.
Benjamin appeared in eight games with three starts and recorded five receptions for 105 yards and one carry for 45 yards. He returned 22 punts for 257 yards with an 11.7 average (fifth in the NFL) and one touchdown. He added three kickoff returns for 146 yards with a 48.7 average and a long of 86. He was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 5.
