Chris Olave Key Stats:
Wide Receiver, Ohio State
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 187
Broken Tackles: 10 in his career
RAS: 8.63
Games Watched: Penn State, Minnesota, Oregon, Nebraska (2020), Indiana (2020), Penn State (2020)
Positives Scouts Saw:
- Advanced route runner with a big tree
- A fundamentally sound player with a high football IQ
- Can be successful inside and out
Negatives Scouts Saw:
- Doesn’t break tackles
- Not a dominant possession WR at the point of the catch
- Limited versus press coverage
Positives I Saw:
- Extremely well-rounded
- Incredible sideline awareness
- Versatility
Negatives I Saw:
- Ability to be a dominant WR1?
- Ball security
- Doesn’t outmuscle people
As A Prospect:
Olave is a very polished and well-rounded WR prospect that seems protected from failure because of his ability to do so many different things well. Olave wins with speed, lateral quickness, ball skills, and his ability to catch almost everything that comes his way. Olave should be a WR1 when he comes out, and projects to be taken by one of those WR needy teams with great quarterbacks at the end of the first. A heady, crafty player like Olave will instantly become a QBs favorite target and command the lion’s share of looks. He doesn’t do much after the catch (he didn’t break a single tackle in 2021), but he gets open and has serious PPR potential at the next level.
Fantasy Football Potential:
In terms of immediate fantasy impact, I like Olave and Wilson as the best two. Olave should come in with expectations of being a steady and consistent WR2 depending on the system he lands into. While I don’t think he will end up being one of the top three wide receivers in the class at the end of their careers, Olave is the best option outside of that bunch and should be considered the last of the truly top tier WRs in this draft. I like Olave in both redraft and dynasty, and would take him around WR30 (or a little bit before Jameson Williams) in redraft. In dynasty rookie drafts he’s the rock-solid WR5 off the board with the potential to have top 2 rookie WR potential in 2022.
Overall:
Chris Olave should come in and provide an immediate impact in fantasy and real football. He can win in a number of different ways and anywhere on the field in the short game, middle of the field, and over the top. He gets open consistently and should be able to continue to find separation at the next level with his feet and speed. He’s a cheaper Garrett Wilson and profiles as a similarly strong route runner that will put opposing defensive backs on skates. His explosiveness metrics and tape indicate that Olave is just as dangerous in short space as he is breaking downfield. If he gets some moves after the catch and can become more elusive after-the-catch threat, he might end up being the best value of the draft.
Chris Olave Reminds Me Of:
Calvin Ridley
Overall: 90/100
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