West Virginia has landed a verbal commitment from one of the top defensive backs in the Northeast, as high-three-star cornerback Terrance "Deuce" Edwards pledged to the Mountaineers on Saturday.
Edwards, who currently attends Trinity Episcopal School in Richmond, ranks as the No. 14 player in Virginia and No. 57 cornerback in the 2025 class.
After taking an official visit to Morgantown during the weekend of May 31, Edwards was convinced he wanted to be a Mountaineer. Edwards also took multiple unofficial visits to West Virginia's campus throughout his recruitment, including this past spring.
Edwards has built strong relationships with West Virginia head coach Neal Brown, co-defensive coordinator/secondary coach ShaDon Brown, defensive coordinator/outside linebackers coach Jordan Lesley, assistant defensive backs coach Jevaughn Codlin ("JCod") and defensive analyst Tre' Bell. Edwards trusts this staff to develop him and he feels at home in Morgantown.
"I'm going to West Virginia University because when I'm there, it just feels like I belong," Edwards told Rivals."It gives me that home feel and is a place I can grow and develop on and off the field. I knew it was the place for me after my official visit and after praying and asking God to lead me to where I should be."
The Virginia product went on to elaborate on his connection with the coaching staff and the vision they have for him.
"My relationship with Coach ShaDon Brown, Coach Tre Bell and Coach JCod is great, and I'm in contact with them a lot, almost everyday," Edwards said. "They are a really good and are all excited about me. Coach Lesley as well, he's see me doing great things for WVU, and Coach Neal Brown is cool and chill."
The aforementioned official visit allowed Edwards the chance to spend a lot of quality time with the coaches and he got more details on West Virginia's defensive system and how exactly they plan to use the young cornerback once he arrives on campus. The schemes are similar to what Edwards is already familiar with at Trinity Episcopal.
While on the trip, Edwards also got to hang out with the current players and learn more about the academic side of the university as well.
"My OV was great," he said. "I got a lot of time with the coaches, spent the day at Coach Neal Brown's house with his family and spent a lot of time with the DB coaches — Coach ShaDon, Tre' Bell and JCod. Coach ShaDon broke down the defense with me, which is like the defense I play in high school, so it was better for me learning the scheme. He also went over the plan and development style they have for me so I can maximize my talent and help me reach my goal of being the best cornerback.
"During the official visit, I also spent a lot of time with the players and they showed me a lot of love. I met with the professors and department chairs, too. I did a lot while at my OV."
Edwards, who received more than 30 scholarship offers in total, released a top-three of West Virginia, Virginia Tech and Michigan State on May 28 and originally planned to commit on June 22.
He is of course an in-state prospect for Virginia Tech and he took his official visit to check out the Hokies during the weekend of June 7. With Michigan State, Edwards had a family connection there, as his cousin, Felton Davis III, previously played wide receivers for the Spartans. He initially had an official visit scheduled with MSU for this weekend, but he will no longer be taking it.
However, Edwards decided to move his timeline up a week and commit on June 15 instead. He feels that the West Virginia coaches care about him as both an athlete and a person, and he appreciates the staff's approach to recruiting him. He believes the Mountaineers have his best interests in mind.
"The development and hands-on style of the coaching staff stands out the most because it shows they care about the development and success of the players on and off the field," Edwards said.
In addition to football, Edwards is a standout track athlete. He holds the Trinity Episcopal School record for the 55-meter hurdles and was part of the 4x200 relay team that also broke the school record and qualified for the New Balance Nationals outdoor championships.
On the football field, the 6-foot-1, 173-pound Edwards thrives on his physicality and uses his speed to his advantage. Edwards has positional versatility in the secondary and is comfortable playing both zone coverage and man coverage.
As a junior in 2023, he recorded 33 tackles, 14 pass break-ups, three interceptions (including a pick-six) and a forced fumble. Offensively, he scored five touchdowns.
"I describe my game as fast, athletic and physical," Edwards said. "I love man coverage, but I can play zone as well. I can play field or boundary cornerback and nickel. I can go get the ball and come up and hit, too."
Edwards is ambitious and wants to put in the work to become one of the nation's best cornerbacks during his time at West Virginia, while helping the Mountaineers win as many games as possible. He is a fierce competitor and has a lot of goals he wants to accomplish.
"WVU is getting a cornerback that loves the game and loves to compete and loves to win," Edwards said. "I have big dreams and plans and I can't wait to make them happen at WVU."
