Earl Edwards Jr.

Earl Edwards Jr.
	Edwards with Orlando City B in 2017
Personal information
Full name	Earl William Edwards Jr.
Date of birth	January 24, 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth	San Diego, California, United States
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	New England Revolution
Number	36
Youth career
2007–2009	IMG Academy
2009–2010	Nomads SC
College career
Years	Team
2010–2014	UCLA Bruins
Senior career*
Years	Team
2012	Ventura County Fusion
2013	Seattle Sounders FC U-23
2014	Ventura County Fusion
2015–2018	Orlando City
2016–2017	Orlando City B
2019–2020	D.C. United
2019–2020	→ Loudoun United (loan)
2021–	New England Revolution
2021–2022	New England Revolution II
International career‡
2007–2009	United States U17
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of September 3, 2023; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of June 19, 2015

Earl William Edwards Jr. (born January 24, 1992) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Major League Soccer club New England Revolution.

College and amateur

Edwards spent his entire college career at UCLA, including a red-shirted year in 2010. He made a total of 61 appearances for the Bruins and finished with 19 shutouts and a 1.07 Goals Against Average. He was named first team All-Pac-12 in 2013 and 2014.

Edwards also played in the Premier Development League for Ventura County Fusion and Seattle Sounders FC U-23.^[3]^[4]^[5]

Professional career

Orlando City

On January 20, 2015, Edwards was selected in the third round (43rd overall) of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft by Orlando City and signed a professional contract with the club a month later.^[6] He made his professional debut on June 17 in a 2015 U.S. Open Cup match against Charleston Battery. Orlando went on to advance on penalties.^[7]

He was loaned to Orlando City B in March 2016 before becoming the first-choice keeper in the 2017 USL season.^[8]

He made his first MLS start on October 23, 2017, away at Philadelphia Union on the final day of the season when regular starter Joe Bendik was ruled out with concussion. Orlando lost 6–1.

On July 14, 2018, following James O'Connor's appointment as manager, he was given the start over a healthy Bendik in the midst of a nine-game losing streak. Orlando won 2–1 with Edwards registering 3 saves.^[9] Edwards would retain the starting job for five games, conceding 13 goals. He was released by the club at the end of the 2018 season when his contract expired.^[10]

D.C. United

On December 19, 2018, Edwards was acquired by D.C. United in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft.^[11] On January 8, 2020, Edwards was re-signed by D.C. United for the 2020 season.^[12] He was released by D.C. United on November 30, 2020.^[13]

Loudoun United

Edwards has appeared in games for D.C. United's affiliate club, Loudoun United. He appeared the first time for Loudoun United in a game against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on March 31, 2019. He was able to keep a clean sheet in his debut as the game ended 0-0.