Greg Olsen

Olsen is another in a long line of standout tight ends produced by the Hurricanes in recent years. He hopes to continue that success at the next level, much like former Miami All-Americans Bubba Franks (Green Bay), Jeremy Shockey (New York Giants) and Kellen Winslow, Jr. (Cleveland). Both Greg and his brother, Christian, originally began their collegiate careers at Notre Dame, but Greg Olsen transferred to Miami for the 2003 season and Christian also left the Irish, enrolling at Virginia, where he is a quarterback. Greg Olsen was a USA Today, Parade, Super Prep and Prep Star first-team All-American choice as a senior in 2002 at Wayne Hills High School, where his older brother, Christian, lettered as a quarterback and his father, Chris, was the head coach. Greg Olsen was one of three finalists for Gatorade National Player of the Year honors, adding Defensive Player of the Year accolades from the Newark Star-Ledger and Herald News Offensive Player of the Year recognition. The two-time New Jersey All-State pick helped his team to a 12-0 mark in 2002 and the New Jersey Group III state title. He was rated third overall on ESPN's list of top 100 players nationally and ranked 10th in the nation on the list of Hot 100 prospects by The Sporting News. Olsen also ranked second nationally among tight ends on the CBSSportsLine.com Top 100 Dream Team. Olsen caught 38 passes for 703 yards (18.5-yard average) and 14 touchdowns, adding seven carries for 117 yards (16.7 avg) on offense. He recorded 87 tackles, 25 stops for losses, 15 sacks and four fumble recoveries at defensive end as a senior. During his junior campaign, he registered 89 tackles, with 35 for losses. He totaled 73 career catches for 1,474 yards (20.2 avg) and a school-record 27 touchdowns. Olsen also handled long-snapping chores. He was a power forward on the school's basketball squad, averaging 16 points and eight rebounds per game. He also competed in track, recording a personal best 161-foot throw in the javelin. In 2003, Olsen enrolled at Notre Dame. He attended some preseason practices there before enrolling at Miami (Fla.) in time for the fall semester. Olsen was named the MVP of Miami's scout team, but was granted a medical hardship and did not play due to a shoulder injury. Olsen started the first two games of the 2004 campaign and appeared in nine contests total, but missed three contests after fracturing his left wrist vs. North Carolina. He made 16 catches for 275 yards (17.2 avg) and one touchdown before sitting out the end of his redshirt freshman campaign. Olsen earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honorable mention after replacing departed Kevin Everett as the team's full-time starter at tight end in 2005. He ranked second on the team with 31 catches for 451 yards (14.5 avg) and four touchdowns. He also came up with a pair of tackles and served as the team's reserve long snapper. Olsen led the team in receiving during the 2006 season. He hauled in 40 passes for 489 yards (12.2 avg), but managed only one touchdown. He also posted two tackles on special teams. Olsen earned First-Team All-ACC honors. After the MPC Computers Bowl game, Olsen announced that he was entering the 2007 NFL Draft rather than spending his senior season at Miami. Olsen started 26 of the 33 games in which he played for the Hurricanes. He totaled 87 receptions for 1,215 yards (14.0 avg) and six touchdowns. He also recorded four tackles (two solo).

because of a lack of explosion, he does not appear as fast as his timed speed indicates, but he has the agility to adjust and get under the pass once he is on the move...needs to do a better job of recognizing the blitz and pass rush, as he appears slow at times to slide in pass protection...must show better urgency taking angles to block along the perimeter (slow to kick out and block for the outside running game)...has good short-area quickness and strength to power through a hold-up, but needs to be more active with his hands to get a clean release...will sometimes be late into his route when he fails to use his hands to defeat the press...lacks the vertical explosion to get deep consistently, but can power through arm tackles to gain additional yardage after contact...while olsen is good at uncovering, he needs to do it with better consistency, as he tends to run to spots on the field (see 2006 houston and virginia tech games)...the staff says that olsen has excellent field vision, but when used in critical situations on third-down plays, he lacks consistency, converting only 7 of 30 third-down plays over the past two seasons...his focus is erratic at times, as he has the natural hands to reach and pluck away from his frame, but has had several drops because he prefers to let the ball absorb into his body...has good vertical agility, but needs to improve his timing, as he had 16 passes deflected out of his hands over the past two seasons (see 2006 north carolina and maryland games and 2005 florida state and georgia tech contests)...needs to show a better understanding for gaining leverage on pulls and sweeps (gets too erect in his stance and needs to sink his hips better).

Compares To...JEREMY SHOCKEY, New York Giants (Miami, Fla.)...Olsen and Shockey fit the mold of classic Hurricane tight ends -- big, quick, strong and superb underneath receivers. Olsen still has room to grow physically and needs to improve his timing to snag passes at their high point. With his running stride and long arms, he is an inviting target over the middle.

positives

Has a good frame with adequate muscle definition in the chest and arms, good bubble, quadriceps and calves...Has the long arms to extend for the ball away from the frame and can carry at least another 15 pounds of bulk with no loss in quickness...

demonstrates very good balance and body control, with good timed speed and quickness for his position...shows good vision throughout the route and has the flexibility to make adjustments on the field, once he locates soft areas in the zone...has soft, natural hands and loose hips to adjust to the off-target throws...good game player who competes for the ball in a crowd and has good playmaking ability when he maintains concentration on the field...uses his size and strength well when extending his arms to keep defenders off his body...his initial step lets him gain advantage on the opponent and his loose hips let him redirect when the route progression is impeded...flashes the lower-body agility and feet to plant and drive quickly out of his breaks...best when used on screens and fades, as he has the size and strength to power through the jam and enough quickness to get open underneath...shows the feel to adjust and uncover and effective ball reaction to look the pass in...big target over the middle who does a very good job of adjusting to the ball in flight...shows the speed, body control and timing to catch the ball in stride and is alert enough to settle in the zone's soft spots...much more effective when he reads coverages, as he can isolate the linebacker...has enough timed speed and balance to pull away from second-level defenders...much more effective when he uses his size and strength to ward off the jam...shows very good overall flexibility to adjust to the low throws and is alert coming back to the play when the quarterback is pressured...effective when working over the middle than on isolated routes...physical receiver who will use his body to shield the ball from defenders...does a good job of reading the flight of the ball to get under it and shows true courage sacrificing his body to get to the ball in traffic...very good at breaking arm tackles. he runs with good body lean to gain yardage after contact...has the straight-line acceleration and run vision to power through the trash...good position blocker with the balance and lower-body strength to gain movement off the snap.

Negatives

2003: Granted a medical hardship after he suffered a shoulder contusion early in fall camp. 2004: Suffered a broken bone in his left wrist vs. North Carolina (10/30), sitting out the following game vs. Clemson. He returned vs. Virginia and Wake Forest before he re-injured his wrist, sitting out the final two contests vs. Virginia Tech (12/04) and Florida (12/31) in the Peach Bowl. 2006: Left the Florida International game (10/14) early in the first quarter with a concussion, sitting out the next week vs. Duke.

Campus: 4.73 in the 40-yard dash

400-pound bench press

515-pound squat

34-inch vertical jump

32 3/8-inch arm length

9 5/8-inch hands.

Attended Wayne Hills (N.J.) High School, playing football for his father, head coach Chris Olsen

USA Today, Parade, Super Prep and Prep Star first-team All-American choice as a senior in 2002

One of three finalists for Gatorade National Player of the Year honors, adding Defensive Player of the Year accolades from the Newark Star-Ledger and Herald News Offensive Player of the Year recognition

The two-time New Jersey All-State pick helped his team to a 12-0 mark in 2002 and the New Jersey Group III state title

Rated third overall on ESPN's list of top 100 players nationally and ranked 10th in the nation on the list of Hot 100 prospects by The Sporting News

Also ranked second nationally among tight ends on the CBSSportsLine.com Top 100 Dream Team

Caught 38 passes for 703 yards (18.5 avg) and 14 touchdowns, adding seven carries for 117 yards (16.7-yard average) on offense and recorded 87 tackles to go with 25 stops for losses, 15 sacks and four fumble recoveries at defensive end as a senior

As a junior he registered 89 tackles, with 35 tackles for losses. He totaled 73 career catches for 1,474 yards (20.2 avg) and a school-record 27 touchdowns

Member of National Honor Society and Ecology club.

Criminology major

Older brother, Christian, was a reserve quarterback at Notre Dame (2002-03) before transferring to Virginia (2004-06)

One of three children of Susan and Chris Olsen

Born Greg Walter Olsen on 3/11/85 in Paterson, New Jersey

Resides in Wayne, New Jersey.