Philadelphia Eagles 2019 NFL Draft watch: Ed Oliver

Let’s take a closer look at one defensive standout who’s enamored several NFL teams, including the Philadelphia Eagles. Get very familiar with the name Ed Oliver.

You don’t get referred to as an Aaron Donald clone because you can’t play. As much as that might seem like a ton of pressure to live up to, it doesn’t change the fact that it was said. Former Houston Cougars standout Ed Oliver figures to have his name called early in the 2019 NFL Draft, but there are a few Philadelphia Eagles fans who are hoping he’s called by ‘The Birds’.

That may have something to do with the fact that at least ten teams, including the Eagles, have hosted him on a pre-draft visit. It may also be safe to assume that more teams will join in on Oliver’s hype train.

Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston was among the first who reported the news. Take a look:

In his NFL.com draft profile, Oliver was also compared to Michael Dean Perry. Here’s more of what was said:

"Twitched-up ball of explosive fury from the moment he comes out of his stance, but his lack of NFL size and length creates challenges with his NFL projection. Oliver’s athletic ability is beyond rare, but his ability to add and maintain mass could be the critical for his future success. He creates early advantages but must convert them into early disruption to prevent NFL size from swallowing him. Scheme fit will be critical with shade nose or three-technique as the obvious considerations. If Oliver’s frame is maxed out, he might possess the speed, toughness and instincts to transition into an inside linebacker role."

Check out this highlight reel:

Clip courtesy of the NCAA and Modell Highlights’ YouTube page

Here’s more on Oliver’s skill set from the analytical geniuses we’ve come to know as Pro Football Focus:

Clip courtesy of PFF’s official YouTube page

Three years in the Houston Cougars program produced 192 total tackles (122 were solo and 53 resulted in a loss of yardage). Add that to the 13.5 sacks, the 11 pass deflections, the five forced fumbles and the fumble recovery he has on his resume.

Keep in mind the fact that he only played in eight games of his final season.

WalterFootball.com sees him as being the second-best defensive tackle in the draft behind only Quinnen Williams of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Here’s their take:

"Oliver played well in 2018, showing his great speed and motor, and still managing to produce despite double or triple teams. The junior totaled 54 tackles with 14.5 tackles for a loss, three sacks, one forced fumble and two passes batted on the year. A knee injury caused Oliver to miss some time, and he decided not to play in Houston’s bowl game."

All of this could force one to believe that Oliver won’t be available when Philly’s on the clock at pick 25. Is he worth ‘The Birds’ trading up or would they stay put? Could he fall and land in Philly’s lap? We won’t know until it happens, but you can go ahead and put a check mark next to this young man’s name.

He’d add nicely to a defensive tackle rotation that features Fletcher Cox and Malik Jackson. Stay tuned. You may be hearing his name a lot leading up to April’s draft and on Sundays for years to come.