A Green Bay Packers' unknown rookie is drawing comparisons to elite pass-rusher Micah Parsons Can this fifth-round pick bring anything to the table for Green Bay?
Collin Oliver hasn't played in a game yet this season for the Green Bay Packers. With two games left to go in the regular season, though, the Packers are hoping that he may be able to provide a boost as the defense struggles to move on from the loss of Micah Parsons.
Who is Oliver and where has he been?
He's a 6-foot-2, 240 pound defensive end from Edmond, Oklahoma, who the Packers took with the 159th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft (fifth round). He played at Oklahoma State for four seasons in college 23.5 total sacks, five forced fumbles, seven passes defended and 134 total tackles.
Oliver was absolutely a disrupter for the Cowboys, especially in his freshman season (2021) when he notched 11.5 sacks.
He missed most of 2024 with a foot injury, but in 80 snaps, he had a 31.8% pass rush win rate, which is elite. That's why the Packers selected him a guy with a ton of potential in the fifth round and that's why they seem excited to be getting him off the PUP list after he missed all of training camp, preseason and 15 regular season game due to a groin injury.
Oliver was activated this week as the Packers had to place tight end John FitzPatrick on injured reserve because of a torn ACL he suffered against the Chicago Bears.
The rookie has a ton of catching up to do, but people in the building seem to be excited about his potential.
Head coach Matt LaFleur was measured in his take on the rookie, but he did hint that there's something there with him.
"That would be a little premature to say he's ready to contribute. Does he have promise? I'd say absolutely he does. Watching him in practice last week, you can see why we took him," LaFleur said on Tuesday.
Teammates in the locker room have apparently been less conservative in their evaluation of Oliver, though. In fact, some are comparing him to Parsons.
Frankly, Oliver will most likely never become half the pass-rusher that Parsons is, but the Packers could use all the help they can get over these next two games and in the playoffs (as long as they make it).
Potential is one thing. Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness both had elite potential and neither has reached it yet as former first round picks. It feels a bit different when that potential is coming from a fifth-rounder, though, so it will be interesting to see what Oliver can do with this opportunity.