SJSU Spartan TE Josh Oliver lands with Jaguars

Former SJS tight end Josh Oliver was picked in the third round and 69^th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Oliver was the second Mountain West player to be drafted with Hawaii’s Jahlani Tavai going in the second round to the Lions and San Diego State TE Kahale Warring going to the Texans as the 86^th pick.

It’s really to no one’s surprise Oliver made it to the NFL. People in the know have felt and sensed it for at least the last two years at Sparta. It’s been a slow and steady climb from high school to four years at SJS and Oliver’s trajectory will certainly continue into the NFL because he has the physical attributes, no doubt, but his superior mentality will keep him there. Bottom-line, he’s very “coachable” and has so much more potential to unleash.

Now, how will Oliver fair in Jacksonville? His chances are more than fair and good.

Oliver’s chances are good because the Jags have a great quarterback in Super Bowl hero Nick Foles. That’s number one. The Jags offense was middle of the road at best last year, but they were widely considered lower tier; ranking 27^th overall offensively. But things will be different this year just because Foles is there and there’s also a lot of new coaching changes made by Jags head coach Doug Marrone to shake things up.

Oliver also stacks up well among the other tight ends there. The Jags lost their biggest tight end performer, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, to the Patriots. Ben Koyack & James O’Shaughnessy were primarily used as blockers and special teams players. Undrafted Pharaoh McKever comes in from the Steelers in his second NFL year and Geoff Swain from Dallas after four uneventful years with the Cowboys. Oliver looks to be the most athletic and fastest of the bunch.

How Oliver adapts and adjusts to NFL speed and intensity is next to watch.