Donovan Edwards is a former Michigan Wolverines running back who has had a bit of a winding path but is still active in football, transitioning into the NFL and bouncing through early-career depth-chart battles.

What happened to Donovan Edwards?

From Michigan standout to questions about his play

Donovan Edwards came into Michigan as a highly touted recruit and flashed star potential, especially in 2022, when he averaged over 7 yards per carry and looked like a future early-round NFL pick. After that breakout, expectations around him on forums and among fans were very high, which is why people later started asking “what happened to Donovan Edwards?” when his production and consistency dipped.

In the 2023–2024 period, his efficiency dropped, with his yards per carry falling significantly compared to 2022. Fans and analysts pointed to several factors: less patience and vision between the tackles, limited usage of his burst, and Michigan’s offensive style putting him in stacked boxes that didn’t always fit his skill set. Some forum commenters also mentioned that his limited eyesight and best traits as a receiver were not fully showcased in Michigan’s often-struggling passing offense, which added to the perception that something had “gone wrong.”

Injuries and role changes

During his time at Michigan, Edwards also fought through injury issues, including a notable injury in 2024 that some fans believe hindered his performance and rhythm. His role shifted from potential feature back to more of a complementary piece, splitting time and often playing behind or alongside other backs such as Kalel Mullings.

By late 2024, his season ended after an injury suffered in Michigan’s win over Ohio State, and there was open discussion that he might be shutting things down partly to protect himself for a potential NFL future. That combination—injury, reduced efficiency, and changing role—fed the “what happened?” narrative around him on forums and social media.

Draft process and going undrafted

Despite his earlier hype, Edwards did not become a high NFL draft pick; instead, he signed as an undrafted free agent after his college career. Scouting notes on him highlighted his quickness and pass-catching ability but also concerns about patience and feel in traffic, which may have contributed to teams passing on him in the draft.

Once viewed as a possible top‑100 pick, he slid out of the draft entirely, which surprised some fans who remembered his 2022 form and long touchdown runs. From there, he faced the usual uphill battle undrafted backs see: crowded running back rooms, special-teams expectations, and limited chances to prove himself.

Early NFL journey: Jets, Commanders, Dolphins

After college, Edwards landed with the New York Jets as an undrafted rookie and had a strong preseason, showing flashes of the explosiveness that made him a college name. However, he ultimately failed to make the Jets’ 53‑man roster in a crowded backfield behind Breece Hall and other young backs and was waived, with the expectation he might land on their practice squad.

Instead, Washington signed him to the Commanders’ practice squad, where he spent time during the season without being elevated to the active roster. Washington later brought in veteran Chase Edmonds and chose to promote Edmonds, leaving Edwards as a depth option who never saw regular-season snaps there.

The next chapter came when the Miami Dolphins poached him from Washington’s practice squad and signed him to their 53‑man roster. With Miami, he has been positioned as a depth back who could get chances behind other runners, especially when injuries hit players like De’Von Achane. In other words, nothing catastrophic “happened” to him—he’s just living the very common undrafted‑RB reality of fighting for touches and roster security.

Why people keep asking “what happened?”

When people online ask “what happened to Donovan Edwards,” they’re usually referring to a few overlapping things:

  • The contrast between his explosive 2022 season and his more uneven, less efficient later college years.
  • Injuries and the sense that he never fully regained or showcased his earlier form.
  • Michigan’s offensive choices and personnel changes that shifted him into a more complementary role.
  • Going undrafted after once being talked about as a possible early-round talent.
  • The tough path of an undrafted running back trying to stick on NFL rosters, bouncing from Jets to Commanders to Dolphins mostly on the margins.

On fan forums, you see a mix of takes: some still believe in his speed and receiving ability and think he was misused, while others view him as a talented but inconsistent back whose vision and patience never caught up to his athleticism. Either way, as of early 2026, he is still in the league, trying to carve out a role and prove that the player people were excited about in 2022 is still in there.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.