A week before the 2024 NFL Draft, Chris Edmonds got a phone call from an unknown number.
“It’s Mike Vrabel,” Edmonds heard.
“On the inside, I was like dang, this is Mike Vrabel [the Browns coaching and personnel consultant] I’m talking to, but I was definitely trying to keep it cool on the phone,” Edmonds told TheOBR. “It was just a cool experience being able to talk to him.”
Over the past two years, the three undrafted free agents who made the Browns roster all displayed one common theme: versatility.
Browns undrafted rookie out of Arizona State Chris Edmonds fits that bill perfectly.
Edmonds, the 6-foot-2, 210 pound defensive back, has experience playing free safety, lining up in the box and in the slot, as well as contributing on special teams. His versatility, paired with his speed, gives Edmonds a golden opportunity to earn a spot on the Browns 53-man roster.
Edmonds began his college football journey as a preferred walk-on at Samford University. In the spring of 2021, Edmonds was named to the first team All-Southern Conference and a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award given to the top defensive player in all of FCS football. In 2022, Edmonds transferred to the Pac-12 and Arizona State to allow himself to go against elite-level talent.
“[The move] definitely helped with my football IQ and my ability to play faster,” Edmonds told TheOBR. “Playing against top-level competition [every week] it was a move that I needed to make and I’m glad I made it,” Edmonds told TheOBR.
Outside of participating in the Tropical Bowl in Florida, Edmonds’ only chance to showcase his abilities to NFL teams came at his pro day in Tempe, Arizona. Edmonds admitted his nerves as the pro day got underway.
“It was fun but it was definitely nerve wracking,” Edmonds told TheOBR. “It was honestly probably more nerve wracking than a game because you just have all those scouts out there watching you.”
Edmonds said the nerves quickly went away after running the 40-yard dash. He ran a 4.46 40-yard dash, a time that he was happy with but believes he could’ve run a bit faster. Nevertheless, the rest of the pro day was smooth sailing for Edmonds.
Over the past two years, the Browns’ final 53-man roster has consisted of three total undrafted free agent players, two of whom are safeties in D’Anthony Bell and Ronnie Hickman.
“The safeties coach [Ehpraim Banda] was telling me that if we sign you [in undrafted free agency], we usually have a plan for you,” Edmonds told TheOBR. “Knowing that undrafted free agents have made the 53-man roster, that was definitely something eye-opening to me and something that I see myself doing.”
For Edmonds, if he’s able to outplay Bell and Hickman, he’ll have a good chance to carve out a spot for himself on the 53-man roster and join a room consisting of Juan Thornhill, Grant Delpit and Rodney McLeod. Edmonds is eager to get to work with those veteran players and be a sponge around them on and off the field.
“I’m very excited man, just a lot of veteran guys with crazy good football IQ,” Edmonds told TheOBR. “I just can’t wait to get up there, pick their brains, learn from them, see how they’ve been able to stay in the league and see what works for them.”
