Two new national mock drafts have the Green Bay Packers taking Houston defensive lineman Ed Oliver at No. 12 overall.
Matt Miller of Bleacher Report and Lance Zierlein of NFL.com both have Oliver available after 11 picks and going to Green Bay at No. 12, a potentially perfect situation for a team in need of a blue-chip caliber player on the defensive side and a defensive coordinator who craves interior disruption.
Oliver is an undersized but highly athletic and disruptive defensive line prospect who some have compared to All-Pros Aaron Donald and Geno Atkins. He produced 53 tackles for losses in only three seasons at Houston and could be an immediate force up front on defense in the NFL, especially as a pass rusher.
Rare is the player with his combination of strength, quickness and motor at almost 290 pounds.
There would have to be serious temptation to take Oliver if he’s still on the board at No. 12 overall next month. Not only could he be a special interior pass-rushing player, but Mike Pettine builds his entire pass rushing scheme around interior pressure, and the Packers could lose veteran Mike Daniels in free agency after the 2019 season. Oliver would also be playing next to guys like Daniels, Kenny Clark, Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith as a rookie, so there’d be a unique opportunity for him to both contribute and develop as a young player before stepping into a featured role in 2020.
Add it all up: The talent, potential, fit and future need, and Oliver looks like a potential homerun option for the Packers to start the first round.
The question is, will Oliver really be available? Most believe him to be a lock for the top 15 picks, but it’s possible, with the right combination of edge rushers, quarterbacks and linebackers picked in the top 10, that Oliver could still be on the board at No. 12.
Several different scenarios could present the Packers with an opportunity to draft a top player with their first first-round pick of the 2019 NFL draft, but arguably no scenario is more attractive than Oliver falling into their laps.
