The Oakland Raiders may be zeroing in on the prospect they're most intrigued by with the fourth overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft. According to Connor Hughes of The Athletic, Oakland “loves” University of Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver.
Oliver is one of the most decorated players in the 2019 draft class. As the first five-star recruit in the modern era to commit to a school outside the Power Five conferences, he was an impact player from the moment he stepped foot on the Houston campus. The Houston native was named a First-Team All-American in each of his three seasons playing for the Cougars, and won the Outland Trophy as the nation's top interior lineman as a sophomore. Though his numbers were down a bit as a junior, when he played just eight games in part due to a knee injury, Oliver still finished the 2018 season with 54 tackles, 14 and-a-half tackles for loss, and three sacks.
Viewed as a potential No. 1 overall pick at times throughout his collegiate career, especially early, Oliver is now considered the consensus second-best interior defensive lineman in the 2019 draft, behind Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. At 6-foot-3, 292 pounds, sometimes playing 10 to 15 pounds lighter than his listed weight, Oliver is a bit undersized for a traditional defensive tackle, but makes up for it with quickness, explosion, and a motor that never stops running. Expect him to be a top-10 pick even if he gets by the Raiders at No. 4.
Oakland, with a league-high three first-round selection, has the luxury of taking the best player available with its initial pick regardless of team need.
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