Meanwhile, for his play at linebacker, Oliver was selected as the 2014 CIF Southern Section Northern Division Defensive Player of the Year in January 2015.[4] He accumulated 13 sacks and two interceptions (returned for 28 yards) as a senior.
College career
Initially listed as an "athlete" in much of the recruiting process, Oliver was announced as a tight end upon signing a National Letter of Intent with San Jose State, as then-positional coach Dan Ferrigno commented he "[had] the tools to become an elite tight end."[5]
Oliver played at SJSU from 2015 to 2018.[6][7][8] During his career, he had 98 receptions for 1,067 yards and seven touchdowns, and was a Mountain West Conference All-Academic honoree in all four of his years.[9][10]
As a freshman, his blocking was reportedly recognized to be a significant contributing factor toward Tyler Ervin breaking the program's single-season rushing yardage record.[11] He also emerged as a receiving threat, with his first collegiate touchdown catch coming during the Spartans' Cure Bowl victory over Georgia State.
Midway through the 2018 season, Oliver won a John Mackey Award as the national tight end of the week after producing eight catches for 158 yards against Hawai'i on September 27 (setting a school single-game receiving yardage record by a tight end).[12]
He earned first-team All-Mountain West Conference selection and served as a team captain in 2018, during a season in which his 56 receptions ranked third among FBS-level tight ends.[13][14] Oliver was invited to the Senior Bowl after the season.
Oliver had surgery on a broken bone in his foot and was placed on injured reserve again on August 20, 2020.[19]
Baltimore Ravens
On March 18, 2021, Oliver was traded to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for a conditional 2022 seventh-round selection.[20]
In Week 3 of the 2022 season against the New England Patriots, he caught his first career touchdown pass from a yard out from quarterback Lamar Jackson. He finished the game with two receptions for eight yards and the aforementioned touchdown in the 37–26 win.[21] Per Pro Football Focus, Oliver graded as the top run-blocking tight end in the NFL amongst the 53 tight ends who played at least 200 blocking snaps for the year.
Minnesota Vikings
On March 15, 2023, Oliver signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings.[22]
References
^ abc"Josh Oliver". SJSUSpartans.com. San Jose State University. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
^Wallner, Peter J. (April 22, 1989). "Mustang football players looking forward to draft". San Luis Obispo Telegram-Tribune. pp. B2.
^Gibson, Travis (August 26, 2015). "Bearcats seek another title". The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, CA). pp. B6.
^Jankowski, Alex (January 14, 2015). "Paso Robles sweeps Northern Division all-star honors". The San Luis Obispo Tribune. pp. S1.
^Jankowski, Alex (February 5, 2015). "Football stars excited for college: Gaither, Oliver, Baldwin all may have chance at immediate playing time as true freshmen". The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, CA). pp. S1.
^Gibson, Travis (January 17, 2016). "College football - Paso grad Oliver proves quite a catch at San Jose State". The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, CA). pp. 1B.
^Gonzalez, Ernie (February 7, 2019). "Josh Oliver accepts combine call". The Spear SJSU.
^Middlecamp, Scott (April 28, 2019). "NFL Draft - Former Paso Robles High star taken by Jacksonville Jaguars". The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, CA). pp. 1C.
^Ho, Matthew (March 16, 2023). "Former Paso Robles football star signs $21M deal with Vikings". The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, CA). pp. 1B.