HOUSTON -- University of Houston coach Tom Herman believes that the race for a recruit's signature truly begins when the prospect verbally commits to a school. Many college coaches echo that sentiment.
If that's the case, the competition to land ESPN 300 defensive tackle Ed Oliver unofficially commenced on May 21.
That was the day Oliver, a five-star recruit and the No. 5 overall player in the nation, turned heads nationally by choosing Houston over a host of offers from Power 5 conference schools, including the likes of Alabama and LSU. Whether Herman and the Cougars can keep Oliver while perennial power programs continue their pursuit of the 6-foot-2, 289-pound prospect is a storyline worth following in the coming months. For his part, Oliver is happy with his choice.