A 5-step roadmap for how Ed Oliver wins the 2018 Heisman Trophy

5. Oliver needs to generate several turnovers over the season

For any defensive player trying to break into the Heisman race, highlight-reel plays are a requirement to get on the national radar. Few things will make a defensive player go viral than a big turnover. For linemen, that usually comes with a bone-jarring forced fumble. But fumbles and interceptions are both critical components to a successful Heisman campaign by a defender.

Last year, Ed Oliver forced two fumbles and recovered one over the course of his sophomore season. He will need to do at least that much in 2018 to keep himself in the running for a rare run at the Heisman. Improving on those numbers would make his case even stronger for the trophy against a field of offensive stars.

The one thing Oliver still lacks at the college level is an interception. When Suh finished fourth in the Heisman voting in 2009, he notched one interception as a defensive tackle. (That actually might have been a knock against Suh, who racked up two interceptions as a redshirt junior and returned both for touchdowns.)

If he could add an interception or two to go along with several fumbles, Oliver would really strengthen his case for a Heisman Trophy. The more takeaways that Oliver can generate, the better his Heisman case will be.