Talented quarterback Edge returns to Smyrna

By Andy Walter
Posted 6/12/21

SMYRNA — A couple times in his life, Cameron Edge made some big choices based on what was best for him.

This time, though, the 16-year-old football player said he was thinking more about the …

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Talented quarterback Edge returns to Smyrna

Posted

SMYRNA — A couple times in his life, Cameron Edge made some big choices based on what was best for him.

This time, though, the 16-year-old football player said he was thinking more about the people in his life.

Since he always considered Smyrna his home, Edge thought it was time he started playing for his hometown team again.

So after making himself into a big-time college recruit in two seasons at DeMatha (Md.) Catholic High, the lanky quarterback says he’s proud to call himself a Smyrna Eagle again after transferring back for his final two high school seasons.

“I’ve always made decisions for myself,” Edge said last week. “I did really well at DeMatha but there was just something missing.

“I wanted to be home with the people I love because a lot of these kids, this is their last year. These are my best friends in life. I knew I wouldn’t get this year back. I was kind of tired of being selfish.”

Of course, the Cameron Edge that is transferring back to Smyrna High is a lot different than the one who left to go to DeMatha two years ago.

Now a 6-foot-3, 190-pound junior, Edge is considered a major-college quarterback recruit. He picked up his first college offer — from UMass — before he even played a high school game.

Edge now has 18 Division I offers, including ones from the likes of Oregon, Penn State, Michigan State, LSU and Wisconsin.
There’s no shortage of online recruiting chatter and ratings for the four-star recruit.

The fact that Edge’s return to Smyrna coincides with the graduation of All-State quarterback Aidan Sanchez will no doubt frustrate defensive coordinators around the state.

Keep in mind that the Eagles already have standout running back/receivers Wayne and Yamir Knight returning to offensive coordinator Mike Marks’ high-octane attack.

Smyrna coach Mike Judy said the Eagles never lost contact with Edge, who still spent his summers back home. Judy can remember Edge as a youngster running around with the other kids at the Eagles’ games.

Judy said he first saw Edge when he was in sixth or seventh grade.

“I’m not going to say you know right away what they’re capable of,” said Judy. “He had a lot of growing to do — which he has done. But you could definitely tell he wasn’t like a normal seventh grader. He had some athletic ability.”

When he was a younger coach, Judy said he would have been upset if a player of that caliber left for another school. But when Edge transferred to DeMatha, Judy said he took it in stride.

“There was always the possibility that a young man like that, who goes off and does what he needs to do ... they may never come back,” said Judy. “That’s fine. Because his success as a young man from our town is the most important thing — with us or not.
“He’s a member of the family,” Judy added. “Even though he was playing somewhere else, he was still one of our guys.”

Edge said he and his teammates all started playing organized football together at Smyrna-Clayton Pop Warner when they were little. While he didn’t play with them for the past two seasons, he said that didn’t weaken their friendship at all.

He calls the Knight brothers “like my best friends in life.”

Edge said he went to nationally-prominent DeMatha because of the caliber of competition and to garner the attention of college scouts.

The plan clearly worked.

Before he even played in high school, Edge was on come college recruiters’ radar because of his performance in camps.

He got his first DeMatha start in a playoff loss at the end of his freshman season before becoming a full-time starter for a 7-4 squad as a sophomore. By Jan. 24, 2020 Edge reportedly had offers from LSU and Wisconsin.

“It was exciting,” said Edge, who will turn 17 next month. “But I put it into perspective. At the end of the day I can only go to one school. I’m still trying to find the right school that fits me.

“It’s a blessing. Not every kid gets to go through that so I’m definitely thankful for it. ... I just keep working every day, doing what I can do to get better.”

Last week Edge attended a camp at Ohio State.

But Edge still has plenty of work to do before he gets to the college level. With 7-on-7 summer league starting up, Edge isn’t too concerned about getting up to speed with his teammates, however.

“I’ve been with these guys since we were like seven years old,” he said. “We could stop playing for a year, get back on the field in the middle of Kansas and the timing would be great. Me and these guys are attached at the hip, off the field and on the field.”

With all his big-program offers, Edge knows he’s going to receive his share of attention — both from inside and outside the team. In his mind, that means he’s got to set a good example all the time.

He also believes he’s joining a program that already has its share of great players.

“This is way bigger than me,” said Edge. “These guys are really good. It’s fun to be around them.”

Judy, naturally, said that Edge will have to earn his place on the squad and that there are other good, young players ready to compete for playing time at quarterback.

Still, given what Edge has already done at DeMatha and knowing the gaudy stats that other QBs have put up in Smyrna’s offense, it’s difficult to imagine that the newcomer won’t have a big impact on next football season.

“He is a dynamic, dynamic football player,” said Judy. “He’s got a great future ahead of him. It should be pretty good.
“The main thing with a guy like that is you keep him upright and you keep him protected and you let him do what he does best.”

As for Edge, he says he’s just happy to be back playing with his friends again.

“It’s definitely a great feeling,” said Edge. “I don’t think there’s anything better than to be back home with the people you love and play the game you love.”

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