Story by Mark Snyder
Detroit Free Press
April 7, 2006

The sit-down conversation traveled only one way.

Before his junior season at Michigan, Braylon Edwards sat
across from his football idol, Anthony Carter, and just
listened.

Sitting quietly is not typical for Edwards. But Carter, a
three-time All-America receiver, commanded Edwards'
respect.

"He was quiet as far as when I was talking and giving
advice," said Carter, who played with Edwards' father,
Stan, at Michigan and had known Braylon for years. "He was
just listening and taking the advice. I hadn't heard that
cockiness at all. You have to know someone first to pass
judgment."

Carter had everything Edwards wanted--pro football stardom,
the Michigan receiving records and the No. 1 jersey.

Edwards had been wearing No. 80, but the appeal of No.
1--which Carter made famous--always had pulled at him. He
got the number as a junior, and now he will honor it with a
$500,000 scholarship.

Edwards, who plays for the Cleveland Browns, has created
the largest endowment ever given by a former athlete at
U-M. A celebration will take place next Friday at the new
Champions Center next to Michigan Stadium, an evening
featuring Edwards, Carter and several other former
Wolverines.

If U-M has a player who wears No. 1, the scholarship will
go to him. Otherwise, the scholarship will go to another
player. No current Wolverine wears the number.

Edwards will pay for the scholarship over five years. He
and U-M coach Lloyd Carr decided on the stipulations.

"No freshman will be allowed to wear the No. 1," Edwards
said. "The number holds too much significance and too much
value. There are three criteria to receive it: first, no
freshmen; second, the GPA (grade-point average); third,
off-the-field conduct."

Those were a few of the traits Carr demanded of Edwards
when he was hoping to wear the jersey.

"Michigan taught me a lot," Edwards said. "It taught me a
lot about maturity, accountability, dependability. And
there were so many things to meet, having that number,
things I would have earned. If I had went to Michigan and
just worn 80 and had a good career, I wouldn't have
fulfilled what I wanted."

His quest to earn Carr's respect and the jersey drew
significant attention, and now Edwards plans to make sure
no one forgets the jersey--or Carter. The scholarship
decision stemmed from Edwards' respect for Carter, a member
of the College Football Hall of Fame.

"We wanted to pay tribute to him for revolutionizing the
position," Edwards said. "He was the front-runner."

Edwards passed Carter in most receiving categories and
holds U-M career records for receptions (252), receiving
yards (3,541), and touchdowns (39).

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