Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado: 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Report
With the 2018 NFL Draft soon approaching, take a look at a scouting report on an under-the-radar corner out of the Pac-12, Colorado’s Isaiah Oliver
Look around the NFL nowadays and most teams are coveting the same thing regardless of scheme when it comes to cornerbacks.
Corners that have size in terms of both height and weight, long limbs, and carry a sense of aggressiveness is becoming the norm in today’s game. Give or take other variables (speed, technique, ball skills, instincts) but for the most part, big corners are a hot trend. For teams that may be shopping for one, there is a particular corner out of the University of Colorado that fits that mold that many NFL teams are looking for. Here is the scouting report on cornerback Isaiah Oliver.
Measurables
Height: 6’1
Weight: 195 lbs
Games watched: vs. Washington State (2016), vs. USC (2017), vs. UCLA (2017), vs. Utah (2017), vs. Washington State (2017)
Strengths: Two-sport athlete while at Colorado with a track background, Oliver’s collegiate football career hit a particular high as he earned first team All Pac-12 honors in 2017. Oliver has a great blend of size and speed. That speed was on showcase at the NFL Combine where he clocked a 4.50 in the 40-yard dash.
Along with that, Oliver posted a 35.5 vertical jump and 6.94 three-cone drill at Colorado’s Pro Day. Oliver comes equipped with long arms, which he utilizes effectively when he jams and disrupts routes.
Aggressive enough as a corner without being “handsy” with his technique. Oliver is also reliable in run support and has the ability to make sound tackles when taking down ball carriers. He displays the instincts to apply his awareness when tracking the ball in the air by getting his head turned around at the opportune time.
Weaknesses: The 6’1 corner does not have a large number of glaring deficiencies but there are a few of note. Oliver’s footwork comes with inconsistencies, especially when it comes to change of direction on particular routes.
While Oliver has plenty of track speed, he does not always show the quickness in and out of breaks. His tackling will get focused on at the next level as he needs to find consistency in that phase. He has soft hands to make interceptions but has a low number of them over his career.
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Oliver provides plenty of appeal to NFL circles. From the size to his speed to his length, Oliver is a prospect that has the potential to be a #1 corner in the NFL if given proper time to fully develop.
He has the ability to play both man and zone coverage at this point in his career and currently, he is better in man. However, with his speed and length, he can be a great asset for teams who operate in zone coverage. There has been growing murmurs as of late in regards to his draft range.
The later part of the first round appears to be the ceiling for Oliver and his selection on day one of the NFL Draft is within reason thanks to his great potential.