Georgia Tech Football Transfer Profile: Braelen Oliver

Can Braelen Oliver help replace Charlie Thomas and Ace Eley?

Jackson Caudell | Feb 18, 2023

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One of the most productive linebacker duos in the country is going to need to be replaced ahead of the 2023 season for Georgia Tech.

Charlie Thomas and Ace Eley were playmakers in every way for Georgia Tech this past season and one of the most important position battles going into the 2023 season is going to be whether the Yellow Jackets can replace them.

Both Eley and Thomas had over 100 tackles for the Yellow Jackets. Eley had a season for the ages by totaling 118 tackles, 3.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and three pass deflections. Eley put together a great final season for the program.

Thomas had just as good of a season as Eley and he did it while having to miss time due to targeting penalties. For the season, Thomas had 112 tackles, two sacks, two pass deflections, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles

The coaching staff has brought in three linebackers from the transfer portal to help do just that and one of them is Georgia native Braelen Oliver.

Olliver played at Douglas County High School and was a member of the 2018 recruiting class. He committed to Minnesota and was redshirted in his freshman season in 2018. Oliver played in every game during the 2019 season before missing the entire 2020 season with an injury.

Oliver bounced back from the injury in 2021 and 2022 but transferred to Georgia Tech after this past season.

What kind of impact can Braelen Oliver have for Georgia Tech in 2023? :: MARK HOFFMAN/MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL / USA TODAY NETWORK

In 2019, Oliver played a total of 211 snaps according to PFF (Pro Football Focus), and finished with a 42.4 grade on defense. He finished with a 56.9 grade in run defense, a 33.8 grade in tackling, a 73.0 pass-rushing grade, a 31.9 grade in coverage, had a 30.4 missed tackle percentage, and allowed 76.5 % of his targets in coverage to be caught for 315 yards and two touchdowns.

Those numbers are not great, but Oliver was still just a young player who was getting his first snaps as a defender in the Big Ten.

The bad thing for Oliver was that he missed the 2020 season. He had to come back in 2021 and try to have his breakout season.

It was not just any injury that Oliver went through either. Here is how it was described by Pioneer Press beat writer Andy Greder:

"[Oliver] tore multiple knee ligaments and his hamstring, dislocated his knee and had nerve damage going down his foot, causing foot drop, where lifting the foot can be a challenge."

The fact that Oliver was able to even play is amazing and a testament to what a hard-working player he is.

Oliver played more snaps in 2021 and did improve in some areas, but not in others. He played 279 total snaps and finished with a 49.5 grade on defense. His run defense grade regressed to 51.9, while his tackling grade improved to 53.3. His pass-rushing grade was 51.1, his coverage grade was 47.6, his missed tackle rate was 19.4 and he allowed 50% of his targets to be caught for 159 yards.

Because he was bouncing back from such a serious injury, it is tough to judge Oliver's 2021 season.

During his final season with the Golden Gophers, Oliver finished with a 58.0 grade, the best of his career in Minnesota. He set a career-high in snaps played with 345 and had a 58.8 run defense grade and a 40.6 grade on tackling. His pass-rushing grade was 54.4 and had a career-best 60.4 grade in coverage. He did have a 28.6 missed tackle percentage and allowed 82.4 % of his targets to be caught for 98 yards.

For his career, Oliver has amassed 79 tackles, three pass deflections, 3.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. I fully expect Oliver to challenge for one of the starting spots that have been vacated by Eley and Thomas.

I think it is fair to say that Oliver improved over his career with the Golden Gophers, but still leaves a little bit desired on the field. Georgia Tech took in three linebacker transfers because they needed experienced veterans on the roster and Oliver is that. I like his potential in this defense and new linebackers coach/co-defensive coordinator Kevin Sherrer is going to value that.

Oliver is going to be a player to monitor in the spring and I think there is a chance that 2023 could be the breakout season he has been waiting for. I can't wait to see the role he has in the defense.

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