4. Ed Oliver, DT, Houston Class in 2017: Sophomore
If you’ve seen Oliver play, you probably understand why he’s this high on the list. Ndamukong Suh finished fourth in the 2009 Heisman Trophy voting, and Oliver has that sort of potential as a dominant defensive lineman. The former five-star recruit has supreme athleticism and excellent strength for a true freshman, and is already able to single-handedly affect an offense’s ability to move the ball. There’s no doubt that offensive coordinators will find ways to avoid and double-team Oliver in 2017, but he’ll still find his way to the ball.
Interesting. The Heisman itself is a running back using a stiff arm and the award almost always goes to a QB or a running back. It is an honor for Big Ed to be included in this group of flashy and simi flashy QBs. The real question is If you are one of the nine, how much do you want to face Big Ed in a game. Mayfield and Jackson can answer that question.
