ARLINGTON- Defensive coordinators in the NFL need ways to stop offenses from unleashing their aerial displays. Shut down corner backs are becoming a bigger draft commodity as teams more frequently generate 300 yards of passing. Even a high-profile second round defensive back can be feared with so much depth at this position. One corner back to keep both eyes on is Colorado CB Isaiah Oliver.
Oliver is currently a high second round projection but could go late in the first round. The game proves that Oliver’s biggest strength is his man to man coverage ability. He frequently pressures receivers and can easily intercept passes much like Denver Broncos legend Champ Bailey. Oliver can also successfully drop back into zone coverage effectively which shows adaptability and gives defensive coordinators a lot of flexibility when calling plays. He is also very good at tipping passes in the air. The team that selects him should do a lot of tip drills because Oliver excels at this. He also has the speed to be a special teams weapon much like Texas A/M receiver Christian Kirk.
One weakness that Oliver is drawing penalties. He will need to work on being a more disciplined player. It would be great for his development to learn how to effectively hit receivers and tight ends with more brute force to force more incompletions. Oliver is great at jumping in front of receivers and positions himself correctly to deflect passes.
With a little bit of fine tuning, Oliver could become one of the most talked about corner backs in history. We may witness the beginning of the next interception leader. Will he become one of the all time greats like Bailey or Paul Krause? The possibilities are as endless as his potential. If he gets an interception, the offensive players better tackle him quickly. He returned an interception for 41 yards against Texas State on September 9th, 2017.