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HONOLULU – University of Hawai'i defensive back and kick returner Mike Edwards will forgo his senior season to enter in the NFL Draft. Edwards leaves as the school's career kickoff return yardage leader.
 
“It was a tough decision, one of the toughest decisions I've had to make in my life,” Edwards said. “God was with me throughout the whole situation. I met with my family, Coach (Ted) Ginn (Sr.), Coach (Norm) Chow and those closest to me to help me come to this decision. It came down to what God wanted me to do and what my family needed me to do.
 
“It's always been a dream of mine to play in the NFL. It's a blessing to get this chance and now I have an opportunity to make a name for myself. I'll always be grateful for my time at UH and I'll never forget my experience there.”
 
“I'm real happy for Mike and we'll miss him,” UH head coach Norm Chow said. “I've always said one of our goals is to get our players in the NFL and also to make sure they graduate and Mike has promised me he'll get his degree. We support him and wish him well and hope he has a long and productive career in the NFL.”
 
In 2012, the junior from Cleveland, Ohio, earned CBSSports.com All-America third team and SI.com honorable mention honors in addition to being named the Mountain West's Special Teams Player of the Year. He led the country in kickoff return yardage with 1,215 and ranked sixth with a 30.4 average.
 
Edwards was also one of only four players nationally with at least three kickoff returns for touchdown. His three scores set a new UH single-season and career mark while his 2,301 career kickoff return yards broke Matt Harding's 17-year old school record.
 
Defensively, Edwards tied for 12^th nationally with 16 passes defended, which included two interceptions. He was the team's fourth-leading tackler with 43 and had five tackles for loss and one forced fumbles.
 
Edwards, a two-year letterman, was the recipient of the team's Alec Waterhouse Most Valuable Player Award at the end of season banquet. A highly recruited player out of Glenville High School in Cleveland, Edwards attended the University of Tennessee as a freshman before transferring to Coffeyille Community College, where he redshirted in 2010.