2019 NFL Draft: Ed Oliver is still a can’t miss prospect

Ed Oliver was once thought to be in contention for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and now he is flying under the radar a bit late in the process.

Since his dominant freshman season at Houston, former five-star recruit Ed Oliver has been a heavily sought after NFL Draft prospect. His blend of power, speed, and technique helped him overmatch his foes in college football, turning him into one of the game’s best overall players.

Entering what everyone knew would be his third and final year with the Cougars, Oliver was often listed as 1A or 1B with Ohio State edge rusher Nick Bosa for the top prospect in this draft class. He was very much in contention for the No. 1 overall pick, and it was inconceivable to think that he would fall out of the Top-5.

Now, after a tumultuous junior season, Oliver’s draft stock has slipped some. He’s no longer viewed as a can’t miss prospect, and he’s begun flying under the radar some with other defensive prospects stealing the thunder of the talented Houston product.

That seems foolish when you look at his tape and numbers. Oliver posted an astounding 53 tackles-for-loss in 32 games in college, constantly fighting through double and triple teams as the focal point of offensive gameplans.

His combine performance didn’t blow scouts away like many thought, but it’s still curious to see him being undervalued by prognosticators this late in the draft cycle. Some of that could be smoke, however, as a team in the Top-10 might covet Oliver and hope another doesn’t usurp them.

In any case, he’s become of the draft’s most polarizing prospects. The talent is undeniable, though.

Strengths

It all starts with Oliver’s ability to disrupt the offensive flow by penetrating the line-of-scrimmage. He does an excellent job of timing the snap and being quick off the ball to get into the backfield.

He’s almost impossible to stop in one-on-one situations, something he rarely saw during his collegiate career. He’ll get a lot more one-on-one battles against interior linemen in the NFL, which should make him an instant impact player during his rookie season.

Oliver has a strong combination of quickness and strength; he moves like a linebacker along the line of scrimmage, and shoots into the backfield like he was shot out of a cannon. He’s got powerful hands, and is able to shed single blocks with relative ease.

He shoots into gaps well and has the potential to develop into a feared interior pass rusher at the next level. If Oliver reaches his ceiling, it’s not hard to imagine him having an Aaron Donald or Fletcher Cox-like impact at the next level. He has All-Pro talent.

Weaknesses 

While he certainly has the upside to be a strong pass rusher from the middle, that didn’t always translate in college. His 52 career tackles-for-loss are impressive, but he managed only 13.5 sacks in his three seasons with the Cougars, and picked up only three last season.

Part of that was him constantly facing double teams, but you would expect a little more production from a player with his ability.

There’s also some concern about his injury past, with a knee injury forcing him to miss some games last season. That, tying in with some overblown character concerns stemming from his heated sideline argument with his former head coach Major Applewhite, has been the impetus for his falling draft stock.

Oliver is also slightly undersized for a traditional 3-technique defensive tackle, but his blend of quickness and power should mitigate those concerns.

Draft Expectations 

While Oliver is no longer in contention for the No. 1 overall pick, and it would be a big surprise to see him even go in the Top-5, he’s still one of the most talented prospects in this class. I think his character concerns are largely overblown. Just turn on the tape, and see his outstanding production despite constantly facing double and even triple teams in college.

The consensus seems to be that Oliver won’t fall past the Falcons at No. 14. They have a need at defensive tackle, and would be thrilled to see the talented Houston product slip to them at that spot. It wouldn’t surprise me if they explored potential trade-up options to secure him.

His ceiling is probably No. 9 to the Bills, and his absolute floor is the Falcons pick.

Projection: Top 15