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Packers rookie and former Oklahoma State linebacker Collin Oliver (LB21) participates in drills during the Scouting Combine. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

After ‘Crazy’ Comparison, Packers Rookie Is Healthy and Confident

Originally posted on Green Bay Packers on SI
By Bill Huber | Last updated Dec 24, 2025 8:52 AM ET

On Tuesday, as reporters surrounded Green Bay Packers defensive end Collin Oliver for the first time since the rookie minicamp in May, a few teammates walked past. “Free C.O.!” one yelled. Another called him “Baby Micah.”

As in Micah Parsons.

“I’m glad that they see I’m a talented player,” Oliver said. “Being compared to Micah, though, is crazy. I ain’t gonna lie.”

It’s not half as crazy as Oliver’s past 16 months.

A touted pass rusher at Oklahoma State, he missed most of his final collegiate season with an injured foot but returned for the Senior Bowl. A hamstring injury, however, meant he didn’t go through a single full-squad practice until he was designated for return on Dec. 1.

“Damn, it’s a long story,” Oliver said. “I had surgery in March after I injured it at the Combine. I basically tore a tendon off my bone. I had to have surgery on that. That happened in March, and then from March until I got drafted, I just had to be rehabbing it.

“It was a long process just because along the way I would get strains and stuff because my body was getting adjusted to basically only having two hamstring muscles in my right hip and my right leg. It’s complicated.”

Oliver thought he was in the clear. At the team’s rookie minicamp, as the players were going through warmups, coach Matt LaFleur yelled at Oliver to slow down.

“I got a bad habit with doing that, I ain’t even going to lie,” Oliver said. “Learning how to be smart and be a professional, that was a learning curve for me, but I learned it. I learned it.”

Not soon enough. Not long after being drafted, he re-injured the hamstring, which kept him out of the full-squad practices at OTAs and minicamp.

“I had a few setbacks when I first got up here,” he said. “Then, I felt great again like around training camp and before training camp had another setback. It was just along the way, just recognizing it’s not going to be a certain timetable and it’s just going to be dependent on how my body reacts with the stuff I’m doing with the training staff.”

So, after sitting out all the offseason activities, Oliver missed all of training camp and the preseason while on the physically unable to perform list.

Sarah Kloepping/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

And then most of the season.

“I was going full out, going full on, and I was feeling good up until those points and then, boom, they would just happen randomly,” he said. “It would just be a cause of my body getting adjusted. I’d be doing everything right in terms of the rehab, the training. Everything was going well, it would just be my body has to get adjusted to what it had.”

The last three weeks went well, though, which is obviously a great sign that the worst is behind him.

“I feel confident in my abilities right now and where I’m at and where my body’s at and how I’m feeling in general,” he said. “I feel very confident in that.”

With his 21-day practice window set to close on Monday, the Packers placed tight end John FitzPatrick on injured reserve and activated Oliver.

“It meant a lot,” he said. “It’s unfortunate it happened because of all the injuries we’ve been having but, honestly, it’s pretty cool knowing that they activated me. I’m on my first NFL team. It’s a cool feeling, for sure.”

LaFleur called it “a little premature” to say Oliver is ready to play in a game – the Packers will host the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night – but at least he’ll get to continue practicing for the rest of the season.

“Does he have promise? Absolutely, he does,” LaFleur said. “I think just watching him practice all last week, you see why we took him. I just think he needs more reps. But in the event that we need him, early showings are promising.”

Hence, the “Baby Micah” talk from his teammates, which he reacted to with a sheepish smile.

“I love Micah, but I’m taking all this day-by-day, bro,” he said. “I know I can provide a lot of things – pass rush, special teams. Whatever we need, I’m willing to do it.”

When the Packers drafted him in the fifth round after putting up elite production at Oklahoma State, general manager Brian Gutekunst envisioned a player who could “rush the passer with speed” but with the versatility to play off-the-ball linebacker and contribute on special teams.

“The kid can do everything,” his college defensive coordinator said.

So far, he’s been locked in at defensive end and the four phases of special teams.

“Wherever they put me at, I’m going to play my ass off,” he said. “I don’t care what it is, I don’t care what I’m doing. I’m just trying to get out there, bro. Our defense has been amazing up to this point and we’re going to continue to be amazing. I’m going to be very excited, wherever they move me and whatever we’re doing.”

During a difficult time, Oliver leaned on his family, his girl and his teammates. He’s learned he’s a “resilient dude.” And he’s learned how to be patient.

With at least two more games left in the season, he’d love an opportunity to end his rookie season by getting to play.

“It’d mean a good amount, but I have to look at it like another game,” he said. “I don’t want to get anything too crazy. I don’t want to get my mind too high. I also don’t want to be low. This is my job now. I’ve got to be prepared for whatever, so I’m going to be ready.”

This article first appeared on Green Bay Packers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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