Buffalo Bills make sensible draft pick with Ed Oliver

With the ninth selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills selected defensive tackle Ed Oliver from the University of Houston.

In an unsurprising move, the Buffalo Bills opted to bolster their defensive line with the selection of interior lineman Ed Oliver with the ninth overall selection in the 2019 draft.

The selection of Oliver should surprise no one, with the Houston Cougars stand-out having been heavily linked with the team throughout the 2018 season.

Once long-time veteran lineman Kyle Williams decided to hang up his cleats, it made the connection between the Bills and Oliver that much stronger – with the 21-year-old now considered to be his heir apparent.

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Oliver enters the NFL on the back of a strong three-year college career in Houston, where he racked up an impressive 192 total tackles (122 solo), 53 of them coming as tackles for a loss.

Playing on the inside makes it harder for players to get after opposing quarterbacks, but Oliver managed to earn 13.5 sacks during his time in college.

He also had 11 pass deflections and a further five forced fumbles – with one fumble recovery during his sophomore campaign.

For his efforts, Oliver was named an All-American twice and was even named the AAC’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2017.

Some have concerns about Oliver’s size at the NFL level, with Houston native standing at 6-foot-3 and 292lbs – somewhat smaller than the majority of interior linemen in the league.

This shouldn’t be a concern for the Bills, however, as Oliver’s frame has seen him utilise his pace well throughout college and gives him that ability to get after players and make big tackles.

The selection of Oliver is a sensible one for the Bills, who needed to find a long-term replacement for Williams, despite having the likes of Harrison Phillips and Star Lotulelei already on the roster.

This addition will boost competition within the Buffalo Bills camp and should see the players vying for the starting role push each other further – continuing to help Oliver’s long-term development.

If Oliver becomes a day-one starter, this will be a slam dunk pick for general manager Brandon Beane and should see head coach Sean McDermott continue to perform well on the defensive side of the ball.

What do you think Bills Mafia? Are you pleased with the selection of Oliver? Who should the Bills target in the rest of the draft? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!