1. A native of Westfield, Texas, Oliver was one of the first five-star recruits to sign with Houston coming out of high school. The Cougars had signed his brother Marcus, who started for two years at right guard, so Ed picked Houston over a host of other suitors, including Alabama. He was a first-team All-American as a true freshman, finishing second in the country with 23 tackles for loss. He built on that as a sophomore, winning the Outland Trophy and again being named an All-American after winning the American Athletic Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year award by finishing with 73 tackles, including 16.5 for loss, 5.5 sacks and three passes defensed.
Oliver had Heisman Trophy hype heading into 2018, but a knee injury limited him to just eight games. He was still named a third-team All-American after finishing with 54 tackles, including 14.5 for loss, three sacks and two passes defensed.
2. His NFL comparison? Aaron Donald. Yes, that’s high praise, but there are physical similarities between Oliver and the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. Donald is listed at 6-foot-1, 285 pounds, while Oliver is believed to have played at about 275 pounds in college. He weighed in at 288 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine, and was down to 281 for Houston’s pro day.
The comparisons don’t stop there.
Here’s how Donald performed at the combine in 2014: 40-yard dash – 4.68 seconds; 3-cone drill – 7.11 seconds; short shuttle – 4.39 seconds; vertical – 32 inches; broad jump – 9 feet, 8 inches; bench press – 35 reps.
And here’s what Oliver did at Houston’s pro day: 40 – 4.73 seconds; 3-cone drill – 7.15 seconds; short shuttle – 4.22 seconds; vertical – 36 inches; broad jump – 10 feet; bench press – 32 reps.
His short shuttle time is faster than those turned in by NFL running backs Le’Veon Bell and Saquon Barkley.
Bills draft Ed Oliver Bills draft Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver with first-round pick
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3. He played out of position at Houston – which left some draft analysts scratching their heads.
“He is so dynamic and so explosive, and it’s frustrating to watch him because they play him a lot head up over the center,” NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. “You talk to some D-line coaches, you have an athlete like that, they say ‘why would you line him up blocked? Let him get in a gap and let him get upfield where he can use that quickness and really be disruptive.”
The Bills left no doubt that’s what will happen with Oliver, saying he’s slated to play three-technique defensive tackle – the spot vacated in the starting lineup by Kyle Williams’ retirement.
4. He’s not without at least some question marks. Oliver’s 2018 season included a much-publicized spat with Houston coach Major Applewhite. During a November game against Toledo, one that Oliver wasn’t playing in, he was wearing a jacket that Applewhite said was only for those playing in the game. The two had a heated confrontation, and eventually had to be separated. Oliver did not return to the sidelines after halftime.
During the pre-draft process, an unnamed scout referred to Oliver as a “pain in the (expletive)” who “just talks too much trash. Running his mouth will get him in trouble somewhere. I would doubt he’d have any loyalty to his team when he becomes a player.”
Keep in mind that the pre-draft process is called “lying season” for a reason, so who knows whether that’s actually how that scout felt.
5. He’s a big horse guy. Oliver credits his fearlessness to owning a rather wild horse that he named Oreo.
"I swear that horse tried to kill me a couple times," Oliver said at the NFL Scouting Combine. "Fighting with that horse was really the reason I became fearless, and why I’m able to go up at 6-foot-5 and 300-pound guys like it’s a walk in the park. Because when you’re fighting with a 1,000-pound animal, I ain’t worried about no 300 pounds.”
Oliver no longer has Oreo, but he does own four horses. He’s also got big plans when he gets his first NFL paycheck.
“I would have a barn with some horses and some stock in there, and maybe some cows,” he said at the combine. “I’ve never been a cow guy, but I don’t know. They got bulls that you can sell their semen and make a lot of money like that. For real."
Story topics: Ed Oliver / Kyle Williams
