Nick Bosa won’t be the only defensive force drafted in the first round who disrupts the status quo (and opposing offenses). Whether it’s declaring for the draft before his junior season or openly feuding with his head coach on the sideline, nothing Ed Oliver does is quiet. The Houston defensive tackle can hardly even take praise –like being compared to the NFL’s reigning two-time defensive player of the year — lying down.
ESPN: The player you’re compared to most often is Aaron Donald.
ED OLIVER: We finna stop that. Y’all need to stop comparing us. We’re going to be competing against each other.
Why don’t you like that comparison?
I don’t want to be anybody’s shadow. If you compared Aaron Donald to me, he wouldn’t like it. I don’t want to live in his shadow. We’re going to be competing for who’s better. That’s just the type of guy I am. I want to be the best; I don’t want to be second to nobody. I’m trying to be the best to ever do it.
You know people mean it as a compliment.
It’s a compliment, but I take it as I gotta go that much harder so they start comparing people to me.
Get the full Ed Oliver pre-draft experience on ESPN.com on April 16.