Ed Oliver came into the season as one of the most explosive and dominant defensive players in all of college football. And now that the college football season is over, we can legitimately say he exceeded expectations.
Oliver played on a Houston team that, at one point, had a 7-1 record. However, as Oliver struggled through a lower body injury, and was unable to play every snap at 100 percent, the Cougars slowly started to deteriorate. In the games that Oliver sat out, it became especially clear how important he was to their defense.
As defensive tackles, like Aaron Donald, prove to be more valuable, Ed Oliver’s draft stock only improves. The Oakland Raiders will need someone reliable in the middle of their defensive line in their rebuilding efforts.