NFL Draft 2018: Isaiah Oliver a potential steal at cornerback

Did Isaiah Oliver earn himself a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft at Colorado? Or will the early-exiting cornerback still be around on the second day?

Isaiah Oliver has the build of a top-shelf cornerback, with a 33.5-inch wingspan that is longer than any other player at his position in the 2018 NFL Draft. Oliver put in one solid season as a starter with the Colorado Buffaloes. That, however, was less a matter of his quality as a player as it was the wealth of talent the Buffaloes amassed at cornerback.

Even with a logjam at the position that included Chidobe Awuzie, Ken Crawley, and Ahkello Witherspoon, Oliver managed to get plenty of reps as an underclassman. Oliver did not redshirt as a freshman, instead playing in all 13 of Colorado’s games. He followed that up with appearances in every game in 2016, including starts at Oregon and at home against Utah.

Once Witherspoon moved on to the pros in the 2017 NFL Draft, the door opened for Oliver to get his starting moment. The cornerback from Goodyear, Arizona seized the moment, nabbing two interceptions and generating another dozen pass breakups.

But instead of returning to Boulder for his senior year, Oliver opted to take his shot at this year’s NFL Draft. The 6-foot-1 corner has one of the most imposing builds of anybody available at his position in this year’s crop of talent. But he is also raw, having started only the one season.

Oliver is one of a half-dozen potential first-round cornerbacks. Will some team take a chance on Oliver with its opening pick?

Strengths

More than anything, Oliver offers agility to go with his build. Not only does he have the frame and the wingspan to take on NFL receivers, Oliver also has the speed and fluidity to use his size to even greater advantage.

Oliver is tailor-made to play as a press cornerback in the NFL, jamming receivers and forcing them toward the boundaries. Because Oliver is so lanky and great at reading not just receivers but also quarterbacks, he can also recover well when he is beat.

The newest Colorado defensive backfield star to get an NFL shot also has the speed to field punt returns. Oliver averaged 10.5 yards per punt on 15 punts as a sophomore. One of the 15 ended with six points.

In his junior season, Oliver only got to field five punts as his value increased as a secondary starter. But he still can provide both quality defensive and special teams reps for whichever NFL team takes him this year.

Weaknesses

Oliver is vastly inexperienced when it comes to considering players as potential first-round picks. In an age where many players get 50 or more games under their belt in college, Oliver played in only in 37. And of those 37, Oliver saw limited action in nearly two dozen of those games. When many at his position earn dozens of starts, he finished three years of his time with Colorado getting just 15 starts.

Many cornerbacks against which Oliver compares this season have far more collegiate experience than the Colorado defensive back. He is also raw in terms of his technique. While he has the physique to excel as an NFL corner, Oliver is a project that will require devoted time to develop, mature, and improve his skills. He is not like other prospects that are more NFL-ready right out of the gate.

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Draft expectations

Oliver has the pedigree to play in the NFL. Both his father and uncle both making pro rosters after solid college careers. But Oliver’s upside is tempered by his inexperience. Some team could take a flyer with its first-round selection. Yet it would immediately be scrutinized as a potential stretch for whichever team made the move. Instead, look for him to go sometime in the early-to-mid stages of the second round when NFL Draft coverage resumes with a second day of action.

Projection: Second-round pick