“Always strive to be the best version of yourself. Life is never going to go your way. I realized that early. Everything we go through is a battle,” stated Donovan Edwards, a Michigan running back, while talking about his early life when he saw some rough patches. Donovan was born on February 25, 2003, in West Bloomfield. At a young age, he experienced the tragic loss of his mom to cancer and was raised solely by his dad, Kevin Edwards, Sr. While growing up, he took inspiration from his older brother, Kevin Jr., who played a pivotal role in teaching him sportsmanship and building Donovan’s career in football.

However, along with having a supportive family, Donovan shares strong football ties, as his granddad, Charlie Primas Jr., was a famous basketball player back in his day. They awarded him the Mr. Basketball title during the 1950s, and he must have passed the torch to Donovan. Coming from an athletic family background, Donovan started his football journey at West Bloomfield High School, where he was a standout player. One of his most remarkable performances was during his senior year when he recorded 1502 yards with 30 touchdowns. After high school, many achievements knocked on his door, such as being named Gatorade Player of the Year Football – Michigan and winning the. Mr. Football title for Michigan. Later in his career, the five-star recruit committed to the Michigan Wolverines in December 2020.

Right after hitting campus, Donovan proved himself by delivering 174 rushing yards with 20 receptions for 265 yards during his freshman year in 2021. In his sophomore year, he shined brighter with 872 rushing yards, 192 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns during the Big Ten championship against Ohio State. Reflecting on his journey till now, he has secured a soft spot in the hearts of his fans who follow him on social media, around 78k on Instagram and 24k on X. Donovan’s popularity caught the attention of many brands that collaborated with him and inclusively benefited him at $585,000, and that’s the sum of his NIL deal valuation.

Brands that collaborated with Donovan Edwards

Donovan stands in the college football NIL ranking at No. 62, which went up from his past ranking of No. 79. On top of that, his NIL rank is No. 97. Now, let’s delve into the details of the brands he collaborated with. Some of his most beneficial collaborations are with brands such as M Den, Wolverine Weekend, Nascar, Powerade, a well-known sports drink company, Leaf Trading Cards, Raising Cane’s, which is a fast-food chain where Donovan took over a Houston location, EA Sports, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Champions Circle, Father-Son Ann Arbor Football Camp, Donovan Edward Youth Football Camp, and Burt Watson Auto Group, a local automotive group.

Analysts project Edwards as one of the top running backs for the 2025 draft. He is a versatile player with significant duel-threat abilities, such as running and receiver. Given his fan following and growth through his name, image, and likeness valuation, the sky is the limit for him, and he’s on his way to becoming the best version of himself, as he said once.