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2019 NFL Draft Prospects Who Must Step Up in Week 2

By Shawn Spencer

PALO ALTO, CA - OCTOBER 14: Bryce Love #20 of the Stanford Cardinal scores on a sixty seven yard touchdown run against the Oregon Ducks during the first quarter of the NCAA football game at Stanford Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
PALO ALTO, CA - OCTOBER 14: Bryce Love #20 of the Stanford Cardinal scores on a sixty seven yard touchdown run against the Oregon Ducks during the first quarter of the NCAA football game at Stanford Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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Ed Oliver 2019 NFL Draft
HOUSTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 29: Bryant Shirreffs #4 of the Connecticut Huskies has is pass attempt knocked down by Ed Oliver #10 of the Houston Cougars in the fourth quarter on September 29, 2016 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

Ed Oliver (DT – Houston) vs. Arizona

In the Super Bowl era, five defensive tackles have been selected with the number one overall pick, the last being Dan Wilkinson in 1994. Ed Oliver has a good chance to be the sixth at the 2019 NFL Draft and will try to reverse the trend of those picks struggling at the next level.

The first five failed to live up to the hype, combining to play 44 seasons in the NFL, but making just one Pro Bowl (Russell Maryland).

The junior has already said he’ll declare for the 2019 NFL Draft and made a very good impression to begin his final season at Houston. According to Pro Football Focus, Oliver recorded an outstanding six run stops on just 32 snaps in the opener against Rice.

One thing he failed to do in the game was record a sack. Oliver, who has 10.5 career sacks, will be challenged in week two to record a takedown of the quarterback, as he’ll be going up against Arizona’s Khalil Tate.

Tate, one of the most electrifying quarterbacks in college football, averaged nearly 16 carries last season after taking over as the starter. In a season-opening loss to BYU, Tate carried the ball just eight times, one of which was a sack. The new coaching staff turned him into a pocket passer, rarely giving him a bootleg or designed run.

Tate was visibly upset with the play-calling throughout the game and must be given the opportunity to move around if the Wildcats have any chance of being successful this year. Especially with the potential number one overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft bearing down on him, expect Arizona to give Tate more freedom and force Oliver to chase him laterally.

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