Awards and Honors:
2021 Associated Press First Team All-America
2021 STATS Perform FCS Third Team All-America
2021 HERO Sports Third Team All-America
2021 Phil Steele FCS Third Team All-America
2021 First Team All-OVC
OVC Defensive Player of the Week: Sept. 6, Nov. 7 (2021)
OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll (2020-21)
Dean's List (F20)
Athletic Director's Honor Roll (F19)
2021 (Graduate Student): A consensus All-American and First Team All-OVC selection … Started all 10 games he played… Began his graduate campaign intercepting a pair of passes in the season opener at Chattanooga (Sept. 2)… Picked off a pass and recorded a tackle against Morehead State (Sept. 18)… Had a season-high nine tackles against Southeast Missouri (Oct. 9), additionally recovering a fumble and intercepting his third pass of the season during the contest… Led a record-breaking defensive performance against Eastern Illinois (Nov. 6) with three of the Govs’ six interceptions. All of Edwards’ interceptions came in the first half and are tied for the second-most in a game in program history. Added four tackles, two pass breakups, and assisted on a sack during the contest, earning OVC Defensive Player of the Week honors… Was responsible for nine of Austin Peay’s FCS-leading 26 takeaways in 2021, with seven interceptions and two fumble recoveries… Finished the season with 26 tackles and six pass breakups.
2020-2021 (Redshirt Senior): Played in all nine games for the Governors during the fall and spring, starting three times at safety and three times at cornerback... Made a career-high nine tackles in a double-overtime win at Southeast Missouri (March 15)... Had an interception and tackle for loss against No. 7 Jacksonville State (March 28)... Led the Governors with five special-teams tackles and served as an emergency long snapper against Central Arkansas (Aug. 29)... Recorded 29 tackles, an interception, and six pass breakups on the year.
2019 (Redshirt Junior): Registered 26 tackles across 14 games… picked up four stops and broke up a pair of passes at Mercer… season-high nine tackles the following week at ETSU… two breaks and an interception against Jacksonville State… made four tackles in both road FCS playoff games, including a half-tackle for loss at Montana State in the quarterfinals.
2018 (Junior): Did not see action, redshirted.
Prior to Austin Peay: As a sophomore at Northeast Mississippi CC, recorded 49 total tackles – including 2.5 for loss – an interception and three pass break ups… as a freshman, racked up 37 tackles, three interceptions and four pass break ups… ranked a three-star prospect by 247sports.com… chose Austin Peay over offers from West Virginia and Colorado… played high school football at Philadelphia HS in Mississippi.
Personal: Johnathon Curtis Edwards III is the son of Eunice and Trenell Edwards… Birthday is Jan. 6… Has four siblings: Josh, Just, Jayla and Janiya… majoring in history… Father Trenell was a tight end at Mississippi State (1988-91)… Earned his first bachelor’s degree in human movement in Dec. 2019… Earned a second bachelor’s degree in leadership & organizational administration May 2021… Pursuing a master’s degree in strategic leadership at Austin Peay.
