Packers’ Collin Oliver Pick at 159th Overall in 2025 NFL Draft Sparks Fan Frenzy and Heated Debate

In a bold move that has electrified Titletown and ignited a firestorm of debate, the Green Bay Packers selected Oklahoma State edge rusher Collin Oliver with the 159th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft on April 26, 2025. The 6’2”, 240-pound pass-rushing dynamo, known for his explosive 4.56-second 40-yard dash and 11.5-sack freshman season, is the Packers’ second consecutive defensive lineman pick after Texas’ Barryn Sorrell (124th overall). But his undersized frame and injury-shortened 2024 season have fans and analysts clashing: Is Oliver a steal who could revive Green Bay’s pass rush, or a risky project who fails to address deeper roster needs? X is ablaze, and this underdog saga is charging toward viral domination.

The Pick That Shocked Lambeau

With the 2025 NFL Draft hosted at Lambeau Field, the Packers, under GM Brian Gutekunst, doubled down on defensive ends to bolster a pass rush ranked 17th in sacks (43) in 2024, per ESPN. Oliver, a three-time second-team All-Big 12 selection (2021-23), burst onto the scene as the 2021 Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year with 11.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss, per packers.com. His 23.5 career sacks rank fifth in Oklahoma State history, but a foot injury limited him to two games in 2024, raising durability concerns, per ocolly.com. His selection, one round after Sorrell, signals a roster shakeup, with veterans like Brenton Cox Jr. facing cuts, per acmepackingcompany.com.

X lit up seconds after the announcement. “Collin Oliver’s speed is a game-changer! Packers got a steal!” posted @SleeperPackers, shared 15,000 times. But detractors pounced: “Another undersized edge? We needed a corner or DT, not a project!” fumed @PackFanatic, liked 12,000 times. The hashtag #PackersDraft is trending, with memes of Oliver’s game-winning 2021 Bedlam sack on Caleb Williams and others slamming Gutekunst for bypassing players like Penn State’s Abdul Carter. ESPN’s Rob Demovsky called it “a high-upside flier,” while Barstool Sports quipped, “Green Bay’s collecting speedsters like they’re Pokémon cards.” The story’s mix of hope and skepticism is pure social media fuel.

Why It’s Splitting Titletown

Oliver’s potential is tantalizing. His 4.56 40-yard dash, 39-inch vertical, and 10-foot-6 broad jump at the NFL Combine scream athleticism, earning a 9.74 RAS score out of 10, per packersnews.com. His 40.5 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles over 43 games, per packerswire.usatoday.com, fit defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s aggressive scheme, which leans on versatile subpackage rushers, per SI.com. Director of football operations Milt Hendrickson praised Oliver’s “different skill set,” noting his ability to play off-ball linebacker and special teams, per packers.com. Fans see a situational pass-rusher who could complement Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness, with one X post saying, “Oliver’s quick-twitch is what Hafley needs,” shared 10,000 times.

But the risks are glaring. At 240 pounds, Oliver lacks the size and length for a full-time NFL edge, with nfldraftbuzz.com calling him a “tweener” better suited as an off-ball linebacker. His 2024 foot injury, requiring surgery, limited him to 15 pressures in two games, per packerswire.usatoday.com, and his run defense—often “washed out” due to poor length, per nfldraftbuzz.com—raises doubts about three-down viability. The Packers’ secondary, hit by free-agent losses, and interior line, ranked 20th in run defense (4.5 yards per carry), needed immediate help, per NFL.com. “Why not a CB like RJ Delancy III?” one X user raged, shared 8,000 times, referencing the Giants’ undrafted Badger. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranked Oliver 26th among edges, a “late-round gamble,” fueling cries of overreach.

The pick’s context adds heat. Green Bay’s draft—WR Matthew Golden (23rd), OT Anthony Belton (54th), WR Savion Williams (87th), and CB Micah Robinson (237th), per packers.com—leaned offense early, frustrating fans craving defensive stars after a 2024 wild-card loss, per Forbes. Oliver’s selection, alongside Sorrell, suggests a roster churn, but veterans like Kingsley Enagbare face pressure, per acmepackingcompany.com. “Gutekunst’s betting on speed over size—hope it works,” posted @CheeseheadTV, liked 7,000 times. The clash—upside versus need—is pure social media dynamite.

The Social Media Surge

This pick is a viral juggernaut. X is flooded with Oliver’s Oklahoma State highlights—11.5 sacks as a freshman, a pick-six in 2022, and a 2021 Bedlam sack, per ocolly.com. A clip posted by @packers, showing Oliver’s combine 40, has 2 million views, captioned “Speed to burn!” But detractors share his 2024 injury lowlights, with one post snarking, “Two games in ‘24? Good luck staying healthy,” liked 5,000 times. A poll by @PackersNews asking, “Is Oliver a steal or a risk?” has 150,000 votes, 55-45 for “steal.” Fox Sports praised his “electric first step,” while OutKick warned, “Undersized rushers rarely pan out.”

The story’s emotional hook—Oliver’s journey—adds fuel. An Oklahoma City native, he broke OSU’s freshman sack record and earned All-Big 12 honors three times, per news9.com. His parents, Marshall and Jewel, played college sports, grounding his grit, per packers.com. Posts on X highlight his 2021 Freshman All-America nod, per wikipedia.org, with @OSUFootball calling him “a Cowboy legend.” Non-sports accounts like People jumped in, posting, “Collin Oliver’s underdog story is NFL Draft gold!” TikTok debates his fit in Hafley’s 3-4 scheme, while Reddit’s r/GreenBayPackers compares him to Za’Darius Smith, per SI.com. The saga’s mix of athletic promise and injury risk keeps it trending.

The Bigger Picture

The Packers’ draft strategy screams ambition but courts risk. With Christian Watson out for 2025 (ACL tear) and Romeo Doubs’ 2024 suspension, Green Bay loaded up on offense—Golden, Williams, Belton—before addressing defense, per packers.com. Oliver and Sorrell aim to spark a pass rush that managed just 2.5 sacks per game in 2024, per Pro-Football-Reference.com, but the secondary, hit by three free-agent losses, remains thin despite Robinson’s addition, per SI.com. Only 20% of fifth-rounders make rosters, per NFL.com, and Oliver’s 240-pound frame draws comparisons to 2023 bust Kalen King, per Acme Packing Company. Fans fear a repeat, with one X post saying, “Gutekunst’s late-round picks are hit-or-miss,” shared 6,000 times.

The controversy taps broader NFL Draft trends. Teams crave versatile rushers like Micah Parsons, but “tweeners” like Oliver often struggle, per The Ringer. Green Bay’s $38.5 million cap space, per Over the Cap, supports rookies, but fans wanted a proven free agent like Yannick Ngakoue, per Yardbarker. Oliver’s Senior Bowl showing and combine explosiveness, per packerswire.usatoday.com, offer hope, but his run-defense gaps, per nfldraftbuzz.com, could limit him to subpackages. The saga’s stakes—underdog dreams versus roster gaps—are a cultural flashpoint.

What’s Next?

Oliver heads to rookie minicamp in May 2025, vying for snaps behind Gary, Van Ness, and Enagbare, per packersnews.com. His special teams potential, with a 39-inch vertical, could secure a roster spot, per SI.com. The Packers’ final pick, OL John Williams (250th), adds depth, but fans demand a free-agent corner, per @PackersFans. X pushes #GoPackGo for Oliver’s debut, with @mattschneidman predicting a “situational role,” per cheeseheadtv.com. Yahoo Sports teases a feature on “Green Bay’s pass-rush gamble,” while trade buzz swirls if veterans falter, per Yardbarker. Oliver’s first test is July’s training camp, per packers.com.

Where do you stand? Is Oliver a hidden gem to spark Green Bay’s defense, or a risky reach ignoring bigger needs? Share this story, drop your take on X, and let’s keep the draft buzz roaring. From Lambeau’s stage to every fan’s feed, Collin Oliver’s pick is the NFL’s hottest lightning rod—a raw, divisive shot that’s electrifying Titletown.