A sophomore at the time, Oliver had just completed a standout performance in the Class 6A state track meet in May. He tied for third in high jump and finished ninth the long jump. He hadn’t yet turned his full attention to spring football when college coaches begin noticing how much of an athlete Oliver was.
Oklahoma State was the first to offer Edmond Santa Fe’s standout linebacker/defensive end on May 15. A couple days later, Iowa State followed suit. In a 20-day span, seven schools, including Nebraska and Texas Tech, offered Oliver scholarships, with three extending offers on the same day, June 1.
“It was crazy,” Oliver said. “I just kept my head down and kept working, and it turned out great for me.”
Oliver, who’s 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, is the next in line of talented Edmond Santa Fe defenders the past decade. Mike Onuoha, Khari Harding, Calvin Bundage and Trace Ford all went to Power 5 schools after leaving Santa Fe. With Oliver’s current path, it seems he’s heading in the same direction.
He broke out as a sophomore, earning a starting spot while racking up 51 tackles and two sacks. He quickly became a pivotal piece for Santa Fe’s defense playing alongside Ford, who’s now at Oklahoma State with Bundage.
Edmond Santa Fe coach Kyle White said it’s not a surprise schools began to notice Oliver, who White said stepped his game up during spring ball and summer camps.
“He’s just a big, strong and athletic kid,” White said. “He’s at the same level as all of those guys to come through here.”
Oliver quickly gained the attention of opposing coaches. Because of his versatility, Santa Fe was able to use him in myriad ways.
He could line up as a defensive end and clog running lanes. He was effective in pass coverage, often laying big hits on underneath routes. If he blitzed from the outside, he and Ford proved too tough to stop for many opponents.
His ability to know multiple positions and execute them flawlessly as an underclassman stood out to White and college coaches. As Oliver continued to grow, so did his game.
Now he’s one of the state’s top defensive prospects.
With two years left at Santa Fe, Oliver said his focus is getting into the Class 6A-I state title game and breaking the East’s dominance. If the Wolves are going to do that, he’ll likely be a catalyst.
“We had a lot of ups and downs last year,” Oliver said. “We want to st... Click here to read full article
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