Dovonte Edwards, who possesses seven years of professional football playing experience - including four in the National Football League, has joined the Morehead State Football coaching staff as the defensive backs coach and co-special teams coordinator.
Edwards played five years in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants and Detroit Lions. He also played for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. In his rookie season in 2005, he returned one of Green Bay Packers' quarterback Brett Favre's passes for a touchdown on Monday Night Football.
Edwards played collegiately at North Carolina State, where he initially lined up as a top wide receiver target for current San Diego Chargers' quarterback Phillip Rivers. He later moved to cornerback during his final two seasons after recording starts on both offense and defense.
Edwards was named Most Outstanding Defensive Back and voted the Most Versatile Athlete following his senior season. He contributed as a wide receiver, defensive back, punt returner and also as a point guard for the Wolfpack basketball team. Following his career, he played in the Hula Bowl in Hawaii in 2005.
He most recently served as a defensive analyst/quality control coach at Furman in Greenville, S.C. Edwards worked with a defensive back unit that ranked third in the Southern Conference in pass defense while helping to mentor Second-Team All SoCon selection Trey Robinson.
Edwards served as defensive backs and special teams coordinator at Kentucky Christian in 2014 before being elevated to defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach in 2015. He also was promoted to associate head coach/defensive coordinator in the spring of 2016 before departing for Furman.
In 2014, KCU ranked in the NAIA top 10 in all major passing defense categories, and he mentored cornerback Mike Ritter to USA All-American honors and free safety Emmett Keyes to USA Freshman All-American honors. Following the season, Edwards coached at the NAIA vs. D2 All-Star game.
In 2015, as the defensive coordinator, his linebacker Aaron Cooper won the Mid-South Conference Defensive Player of the Year and AFCA All-American accolades. The Knights ranked 10th nationally and led the conference in passing defense.
He began his coaching career at Northern Guilford (N.C.) High School in 2010 and helped the school win its first state championship.
Edwards also brings experience as a talent evaluator after shadowing long-time NFL Player Personnel Executive Rick Mueller during an injury-plagued 2011 season and serving as a scouting assistant for Optimum Scouting from 2012-14.
Edwards earned his bachelor's degree in parks, recreation and tourism management, with emphasis in sport management, from NC State in 2012. He has also participated in the NFL Scouting Academy, the NFL-NCAA Coaches Academy and the NFL Career Transition Program.
