What Oliver did last year in his first season on campus at Houston redefines what can be expected of true freshmen defensive tackles. Forget demonstrating potential and offering signs of greatness for the future; Oliver was a star right away. His 22.5 tackles for loss ranked third in the country, and he also racked up fives sacks and three forced fumbles. At times, he simply couldn’t be contained, like when he consistently destroyed Louisville’s offensive line to guide the Cougars to an upset. It seems unfair to opposing offensive linemen that they will have to face an NFL-caliber defensive tackle for the next two years, but it will certainly be fun to watch. — CB
Ed Oliver, DT, Houston: If you’re wondering why a DT is on this list, you clearly haven’t seen Oliver play. Basically an alien masquerading as a football player, Oliver is a pass-rushing force – despite drawing multiple blockers on nearly every play. He almost single-handedly confounded Lamar Jackson in Houston’s upset of the Cardinals a year ago, doing things like this the entire night.
Oliver, at 6-foot-2, 290 pounds, isn’t supposed to be able to do stuff like that. But he does, which makes him must-watch television this fall. Oh yeah, just for fun, he led all defensive lineman a year ago with nine pass breakups.
Oliver may not just be the best defensive player entering the 2017 season; he could be the best player at any position in the game. As a freshman for the Cougars last fall, he finished with 22—yes, you read that right—tackles for a loss among his 65 total tackles, with five sacks, six passes defensed and two forced fumbles. At 6’2”, 290 pounds, Oliver looks much more developed than his 19 years, and it’s easy to imagine him playing in the NFL as soon as he’s eligible two years from now.
Bednarik Award Watch List (Top Defensive Player) Sean Chandler DB Temple Shaquem Griffin LB UCF Justin Lawler DE SMU Deatrick Nichols CB USF Ed Oliver DT Houston Micah Thomas LB Navy
After earning American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year Oliver looks to build on his freshman campaign and make an impact on a team that has seen many changes, including the loss of its head coach who left for the University of Texas after promising players and fans that he would not use UH as a stepping stone.