Julian Francis Edelman (born May 22, 1986) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons with the New England Patriots. He played college football for the Kent State Golden Flashes as a quarterback and was selected in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL draft by the Patriots, where he transitioned to a return specialist and wide receiver. Edelman became a primary offensive starter in 2013 and was a staple of the Patriots' receiving corps until his retirement after the 2020 season.

One of the NFL's most productive postseason receivers, Edelman ranks third in postseason receiving yards and receptions; he holds the Super Bowl records for punt returns and first-half receptions in a single game. A three-time Super Bowl winner, he was the receiving yards leader during his victories in Super Bowl XLIX and Super Bowl LIII. Edelman was named MVP of the latter, accounting for more than half his team's receiving yards.

Edelman was born in Redwood City, California, to Angela “Angie” (née Gole) and Frank Edelman, a mechanic who owns A-1 Auto Tech. He has two siblings, Jason and Nicole. Edelman was raised as a Christian but has experienced what he described as a "Jewish awakening." In an NFL Network interview in December 2013, Edelman said that he was Jewish and celebrated Hanukkah. His mother was born in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, to German parents who had lived in Belgium.

Edelman played varsity football and baseball at Woodside High School in Woodside, California. He was extremely small as a freshman, weighing under 100 pounds (45 kg) before his growth spurt. Edelman was the quarterback for his high-school team, and as a senior, he led the Wildcats to a 13–0 record in 2004. In high school, Edelman threw for 2,237 yards and 29 touchdowns and rushed for 964 yards and 13 touchdowns.

After high school, Edelman spent a year attending the College of San Mateo, where he threw for 1,312 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed for a school-record 1,253 yards and 17 touchdowns. Edelman then transferred to Kent State University, where he majored in business management. At Kent State, Edelman was a three-year starter at quarterback. As a senior, Edelman was the Golden Flashes' leading passer, completing 153-of-275 passes for 1,820 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He was also their leading rusher, gaining 1,370 yards on 215 attempts (an average of 6.4 yards per carry) and scoring 13 touchdowns. Edelman's total offense broke Joshua Cribbs's single-season school record, which was set in 2003.

Edelman was not invited to the 2009 NFL Combine. At his March 12 Pro Day, Edelman ran the short shuttle in 3.92 seconds; the fastest time at the Combine that year was 3.96 seconds.

The New England Patriots, who had conducted private workouts with Edelman before the 2009 NFL draft, selected him with the 27th pick of the seventh round (232nd overall), ahead of Michigan State quarterback Brian Hoyer, who joined the Patriots as a free agent. Several analysts suggested that the Patriots may have selected Edelman for his potential in a Wildcat formation; when the pick was made, Edelman was announced as a wide receiver.

On July 16, 2009, Edelman signed a four-year contract with the Patriots that included a $48,700 signing bonus. Edelman later stated that he knew he lacked the ability to make an NFL roster as a quarterback, so he prepared himself to play at positions other than quarterback before the draft. The BC Lions placed Edelman on their "negotiation list," a list of American players for which they have exclusive negotiating rights, and offered him a three-year, incentive-heavy contract to play quarterback.