FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – It started last year, the conversion that might end up changing the trajectory of Isaiah Oliver ’s career. A player is unlikely to admit it, but the best thing that could have happened to Oliver was Darqueze Dennard getting healthy last season.

It left his former coaches with an idea. Move Oliver from playing corner on the outside into the slot. So it began, a transformation fitting Oliver’s multifaceted skill set. When Raheem Morris left and was replaced by Dean Pees, the new defensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons suggested Oliver stay where he was.

He liked Oliver’s traits. Felt there were things to work with and similarities between Oliver and the two slot corners he had in Baltimore (Lardarius Webb) and Tennessee (Logan Ryan). So he told Oliver this would be his full-time job.

Continue to learn a different position with the same abstract title, only know that you’re going to have to understand more of it. As the slot corner has grown into a more essential position in the NFL with the proliferation of passing throughout the league, the need for a strong slot has become more important than ever.

And Oliver, the former second-round pick, has become that player for Atlanta -- a consistent option on the inside who can do a little bit of everything, which is exactly what Pees asked him to do.

Pees taught all his players his defense by having them watch countless clips of Tennessee and Baltimore in the offseason to pick up the new scheme. He also had individuals watch their counterparts in that defense -- for Oliver that meant tape of Webb and Ryan.

“He had a lot of the same traits those guys have, which is good for our system,” Pees said. “Because then I didn’t have to change the system just because I have a different guy inside that can’t do those things. I thought he could do those things.”

In Pees’ defense, the slot corner needs to be able to cover in man, understand and excel in zone and handle a role in the run game and blitz. When Pees and defensive backs coach Jon Hoke first watched Oliver, they saw enough to say he could handle it.

“You got to have a versatile guy,” Hoke said.

Oliver, 24, has lined up in nine different spots this year - 74 snaps in the slot on the right, 34 in the slot on the left, 19 in a left outside linebacker position, seven in a right outside linebacker position, two as an outside cornerback on the right, two as an inside linebacker on the left and one snap each at free safety, strong safety and right inside linebacker.

He didn’t necessarily play those positions, but in Pees’ defense he was going to be a bit of everywhere because he’d need to do a little bit of everything.

“It’s a lot more space,” Oliver said. "You just really got to understand the defense to understand where your help is, whether it’s the middle field safety, whether you’ve got help from a linebacker dropping back. And just understand that you’re never really out there by yourself.”

Oliver has primarily been in zone -- 47 of 73 coverage snaps -- and has played less than 10 coverage snaps a game in man coverage. All three of his pass breakups have come in zone. Of the 141 total snaps he has played, he has rushed the passer 11 times -- four times each against Philadelphia and the Giants and three times against Tampa Bay. While he hasn’t registered a sack, he has seven tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

He has allowed a 46.2% completion percentage, according to Pro Football Reference, and has allowed only 9.2 yards per completion. He did allow one touchdown, to Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin, when he was left in single coverage and was close to Godwin, but the ball was thrown in a spot difficult for him to defend.

Although Oliver already had belief in his coverage skills, the move took getting used to. He had spent a career knowing he wouldn’t have help. Now, he has to remember where the help is coming from and remind himself he isn’t alone.

He knew he was comfortable tackling. Blitzing? That was new. It’s something he never has had to do. Never really thought about doing. He anticipates he’ll have blitzed more by Week 4 this year than he has in any other season. Ever.

So he started asking around. Talked with Falcons pass-rushers and asked them to explain their moves. Started working out with them. Sure, he was the smallest guy -- by far -- working in the group, but those drills helped.

“You have to learn certain things on how to blitz, how to hit the gaps, how tight you have to be to the linemen, who you’re responsible for, whether it’s a running back, quarterback and things like that,” Oliver said. “You can always get better at that, for sure, and then how to defeat blocks, beat backs, beat guards and things like that.”

Like much of everything in Atlanta at the moment, it’s still a work in progress -- a point of growth as all of the new schemes coalesce. But on a defense still finding itself, one looking for playmakers, Oliver might have found a home.

And his NFL future.

Information from ESPN Stats and Information was used in this story. Follow Stats & Info on Twitter @ESPNStatsInfo