Jason Edwards is determined to make Vanderbilt's bet on him pay off

Jason Edwards could just feel it.

This was something he wanted to be a part of. This was something he believed in.

"Off the rip, just off my first conversation with [Mark Byington] and his staff, I could just tell; these type of staffs are hard to come by. These type of programs, these type of environments are super hard to come by," Edwards said of Vanderbilt. "You could just tell that they were hungry to win and that's something that I'm excited about joining."

Edwards understands where this 9-23 program was in 2023-24 and what the perception around it is. That doesn't scare him, though.

It motivates him.

"I've always been a person who's not afraid to bet on themselves and also not afraid to bet on a program," the North Texas transfer said. "I cherish being a trailblazer."

Edwards also understands that he's not the only one taking a leap of faith here. Vanderbilt's newest commit understands that Mark Byington and his coaching staff are betting on him, as well.

"The same way me committing to a school is a risk, somebody committing to allowing me to play for their program is a big risk." Edwards said. "I don't ever take that lightly."

The Vanderbilt staff understands that risk but assured Edwards that a bet on him was one that they were willing to take.

"Coach B and all the staff, they have families to feed and for them to be able to say like 'Jason you know, we're gonna live and die by you. We know what you're capable of and we're here to tell you that, that we wanna bet on you.' I take those type of statements personal," Edwards said. "I'll be forever grateful [for that] and I'm gonna run through a wall for this year. I'm gonna do whatever they ask me to do to the fullest of my ability.

"I'm not gonna let them down.”

The former North Texas guard notes a genuine connection to the Vanderbilt staff that he feels will translate to something on the floor and has in the past.

"I feel like their faith in the guys and their willingness to, to buy in the people on a personal level; that's, that's what's gonna make everybody on this team in addition to me play crazy hard," Edwards said. "I used to watch JMU and I'm thinking like 'yo, these guys are playing hard' after talking to some of the guys [from James Madison] it's like, it's because they know their coach has their back so they have to have their coaches back in response."

Edwards plans to embrace the same mentality.

"I'm gonna put my neck on the line, I'm gonna put my body on the line for the guys, for the staff, for the team, for everybody because it's a family here. When they say family, they don't take it lightly like it means family for real."

Edwards connected with Vanderbilt assistant Rick Ray, in particular.

"He was one of the first guys on the staff to reach out to me," Edwards said. "You could just tell by talking to him; not only does he have an incredible amount of basketball IQ, you can tell he's a people's person and he knows exactly what he's doing.

"The way he talks, it'll make you turn your ears." Edwards added. "It'll make you listen a little more when somebody like that talks."

The plan that Ray, Byington and the rest of the Vanderbilt staff have has resonated with the North Texas transfer. So much so that Edwards doesn't think it will take long for this thing to get to where it is supposed to go.

"I believe we can win right now," Edwards said. "Just the unwavering faith that everybody has in the program. It was it was just radiating in every room and in every voice I heard."

For Vanderbilt to win early and often, Edwards will have to be a significant piece for it. He'll have to be its alpha scorer. He'll have to be its leader.

This will be an Edwards-led team. In just about every aspect.

The North Texas transfer appears to be ready for that responsibility. At the very least, it feels as if he'll embrace it and will be ready to do what's needed to bring this program back to where it intends on being.

“A couple of words I would say is just grit and competitive," Edwards said when describing his game. "That’s something you’re gonna see just off the first time ever seeing me play is just my competitive spirit is as high as ever. I don't know if I just hate to lose or love to win but I'm out there trying to win. I'm fighting all game. I'm fighting for 40 minutes. 45 if we’re going into overtime."

Edwards feels as if his skillset in itself is a weapon.

"I think that I'm an electric scorer," Edwards said. "I feel like I'm real dynamic, that's probably the most basketball used term with me. I'm dynamic. I guard, I shoot at a high clip, I score at a high clip, I can score at all three levels."

Edwards has a goal in mind. One that will take more than just his skillset. One that would immediately put him favorably in Vanderbilt basketball history.

"I'm just a leader. You'll just see for me out there we're never gonna have a dull moment. We never gonna have a moment where we're apart, where we don't play as a team. Everybody is gonna be locked in because we know we need everybody on the team, we need managers. We need everybody to be at their best to be the Sweet 16 team that we're trying to be."

That Sweet 16 goal seems lofty with the context of Vanderbilt not making it that far since 2007, but Edwards doesn't have to be pried to double down on it.

"I got faith in the program. I got faith in the fan base. You know, it might be, it might be tough for everybody to believe what we're saying. But I feel like even with the pickup that coach Mark has, like you can tell like we're not all talk, we're serious, we gonna compete at a high level and we're gonna make it to the tournament next year."

Edwards has talked a big game that not many players around this program have been brave enough to over the years. He's ready to back it up, though.

"You'll see first game what type of player I am. I'm an electric player but I do more action than talking."