Louis Oliver facts for kids
| No. 25, 29 | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Safety | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | March 9, 1966 Belle Glade, Florida, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 224 lb (102 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Glades Central (Belle Glade) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Florida | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1989 / Round: 1 / Pick: 25 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Louis Oliver, born on March 9, 1966, is a former American football player. He played as a safety in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. Oliver was a star player for the Florida Gators in college, earning top honors. He was chosen in the first round of the 1989 NFL draft. He played professionally for the Miami Dolphins and the Cincinnati Bengals.
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Early Life and High School Football
Louis Oliver was born in Belle Glade, Florida. He grew up there and went to Glades Central High School. Louis was a fantastic football player for his high school team, the Glades Central Raiders. One memorable moment was when he blocked two punts in a single game during his junior year.
College Football Career
After high school, Louis Oliver went to the University of Florida. He joined the Florida Gators football team in 1985 as a "walk-on" player. This means he joined the team without a scholarship at first. However, Louis quickly proved himself. He earned an athletic scholarship and became a starting free safety and team captain.
During his college career, Louis made 11 interceptions. He was named to the All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) team in 1987 and 1988. He also earned All-American honors in both 1987 and 1988. Louis was recognized for his leadership and courage with the Fergie Ferguson Award.
In 1989, Louis graduated with a degree in criminal justice. In 2000, he was honored by being inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame. He was recognized as one of the greatest Gators players ever.
Professional Football Career
The Miami Dolphins picked Louis Oliver in the first round of the 1989 NFL Draft. He was the 25th player chosen overall. He played for the Dolphins for seven seasons (1989–1993, 1995–1996). He also played one season for the Cincinnati Bengals in 1994.
Louis was reunited with his former Gators teammate, Jarvis Williams, on the Dolphins' defense. They played together as starting safeties for five seasons. One of Louis's most famous plays happened on October 4, 1992. He intercepted a pass from Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly. Louis ran the ball back 103 yards for a touchdown. This is still the longest interception return in Dolphins history!
During his eight years in the NFL, Louis Oliver played in 117 games. He started 101 of those games. He made 544 tackles and had 27 interceptions. Two of his interceptions were returned for touchdowns.
Life After Football
After his football career, Louis Oliver started new businesses. He used his connections from sports to become a professional party planner for athletes and celebrities in South Florida.
More recently, Louis has focused on other business ventures. He entered the real estate market. He specializes in high-end properties for celebrities. He is also a general partner in a real estate company in Miami. Louis also founded a company called Highlightz, which created a special smoking illuminating tip.
See also
- 1987 College Football All-America Team
- 1988 College Football All-America Team
- Florida Gators football, 1980–89
- List of Florida Gators football All-Americans
- List of Florida Gators in the NFL draft
- List of Miami Dolphins first-round draft picks
- List of Miami Dolphins players
- List of University of Florida alumni
- List of University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame members
