COLUMBUS, Ohio – Alicia Edwards has been there from the beginning.

The mother of Georgia four-star 2024 edge target KingJoseph Edwards has watched her son pursue his dream to play professional football. Through the highs and the lows, he has emerged to become an elite prospect with 26 offers, and certainly more on the way.

By his side every step of the way, his mother has enjoyed every moment.

“I’m excited because King has always been a hard worker and always been very serious about football from a young age… I was super excited because King was like the underdog. People knew him but people didn’t really know him,” she said.

“He grinded his way to the top, grinded his way to get some recognition. I saw him have a lot of days of feeling discouraged because he felt like he wasn’t getting the recognition he deserved. I’m excited for him to finally be here and get the things he deserves.”

She has become his manager of sorts, organizing his expanding recruiting schedule and accompanying him on all of his visits. She’s heard the pitches and the plans from coaches and programs who are looking to develop her son into a man at the next level.

At least one of those plans has caught her eye.

“Coach (Larry) Johnson is very wholesome,” she said of OSU’s defensive line guru. “He coaches but he doesn’t curse. He talks to King about growing and becoming a man. I’m probably stuck on Ohio State just for those conversations I’ve had with Coach Johnson. Coach (Ryan) Day is very dynamic and high energy, so it makes me feel comfortable.”

Johnson’s resume speaks for itself. Johnson, 70, has propelled 11 prospects into the NFL since joining Ohio State in 2014. Just being recruited by him is something Edwards appreciates and doesn’t take for granted.

“It was legendary knowing that he has put people in the NFL, pretty impressive,” Edwards said.

For his mother, it’s trusting someone else to guide her son to his dream.

“I feel like it’s much more than…