NCAA may have just cleared Kentucky wide receiver Tru Edwards for 2025

Nov 23, 2024; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Louisiana Tech Bulldogs wide receiver Tru Edwards (16) runs after a catch in the fourth quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Arkansas won 35-14. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images — Louisiana Tech WR Tru Edwards transferring to Kentucky, Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Spring ball is off and running for the Kentucky football program at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility. The Wildcats have added 18 scholarship transfers to the roster for this spring semester but one big recruiting win is currently missing from the roster. Louisiana Tech Tru Edwards is still awaiting clearance from the NCAA for the Diego Pavia injunction that will give former junior college players an extra year of eligibility in 2025.

Things are not crystal clear yet, but the NCAA send out some guidance on waiver on Thursday. Edwards appears to fit the criteria.

NCAA sent out guidance today regarding eligibility for former JUCO and non-NCAA schools. Essentially, all players who'd be otherwise out of eligibility but played JUCO/NAIA/etc can play in 2025-26 EXCEPT those whose only season of non-NCAA competition was 2020-21 (COVID year). pic.twitter.com/fx4SGfyZNB
— Kevin Sweeney (@CBB_Central) March 13, 2025

The Mansfield (Texas) Legacy product was a class of 2019 recruit who spent his first two seasons in college football in JUCO at Navarro College from 2019-20. Edwards recorded 15 receptions for 357 yards as a true freshman in 2019. Why is that important to know? Because players that only played in junior college during the spring 2020-21 COVID-19 season would not be eligible for this waiver. Edwards should be eligible due to playing in 2019.

Let’s take a look at what the eligibility would look like for the transfer who earned All-CUSA honors in 2024.

2019: True freshman at Navarro College
2020: Sophomore at Navarro College (COVID-19 redshirt)
2021: Junior at Hawaii
2022: Senior at Hawaii (Redshirt due to only playing in 3 games)
2023: Redshirt Senior at Louisiana Tech
2024: Super Senior at Louisiana Tech
2025: 7th-year senior at Kentucky

Tru Edwards was like every other player who was on an active roster during the COVID-19 pandemic: he received two redshirts. Now the former junior college player has a waiver that will give him an extra year of eligibility.

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We are still waiting on the official word, but all signs point to Diego Pavia playing quarterback for Vanderbilt and Tru Edwards playing wide receiver for Kentucky in 2025.

KSR+ Scouting Notebook: Tru Edwards

The big-bodied wideout started his career at junior college in 2019 before moving to Hawaii in 2021. Landed at Louisiana Tech in 2023. Earned first-team All-CUSA honors in 2024 after recording 77 receptions for 897 yards and six touchdowns. Son of Troy Edwards who won the Biletnikoff Award at Louisiana Tech in 1998. Will be 24 years old at the start of the 2025 season.

Edwards has tallied 166 career receptions during his career in junior college and the Group of Five. Moved to slot in his final year in Louisiana Tech’s spread scheme. That move played major dividends. Drops (five) do show up on tape. Was productive in contested catch situations and forced 16 missed tackles. Recorded 51 receptions for 677 yards between the numbers last season. Did almost all of his damage as a short-to-intermediate target. Creates separation on routes and wins on double moves. Long strider who can create after the catch.

Big slot with some inside-outside versatility. Can make tough catches at all three levels.

Read scouting write-ups on all of Kentucky’s transfer additions at KSR+.