Measurables
UNIVERSITY- Ohio State AGE- 21 CLASS- SR
HEIGHT- 6’1” WEIGHT- 188 ARM LENGTH-
40 Time- 3 CONE- VERTICAL- BROAD JUMP- BENCH PRESS-
Overview
Chris Olave played his high school ball at Mission Hills High School in California. There Olave played basketball and was also a track stand-out to go along with football. In 2018, as a freshman Olave appeared in all 14 games primarily on special teams. He finished the year with 12 receptions for 197 yards and 3 TDs. In 2019 Olave gained a more prominent role on the offense. Playing in all 14 games, Olave finished the year with 49 receptions for 849 yards and 12 TDs, earning him Third-Team All-Big Ten honors. His most prolific season came in a shortened 2020 season where he played in 7 games. He finished the season with 50 catches for 729 yards(104 YPG) and 7 TDs. His efforts earned him First-Team All-Big Ten honors and was a semifinalist for the Bilenikoff Award. Olave decided to come back to Ohio State in 2021 and play out his senior season. Although Olave was overshadowed by his fellow WRs on the team he finished the season with 65 catches for 936 yards and 13 TDs.
Strengths
Watching Chris Olave attack CBs running routes constantly reminded me of a striker in soccer setting up defenders to get an opportunity at a goal. It is really the subtle jabs and hesitations that get him the separation. Makes you wonder if his basketball background helped him with that ability. Olave is a guy who gets open with his feet in all depths of the field. He has this fantastic high-step hesitation move that he does to freeze the cornerback, then he is able to fly past him. Olave shows perfect timing on his double moves, especially when attacking the defense vertically on deep crossing routes or 9 routes. Olave showed the ability to track balls down field and make catches over his shoulder at a high level. He shows the ability to make catches away from his body at-times but not consistently. Olave shows the ability to make tough toe-tapping catches near the sidelines. He can create separation in tight-situations, especially in the goal-line area. If you want to play him man-up he has the ability to work your corner all over the field. If you want to play zone, Olave really excels at finding the soft spot and giving his QB a clean throwing window to get him the football. He was most consistent and productive on the comeback and out-routes. He was sharp on his hitch route at times as well and was able to get separation at the top of that route. Olave is one of the more developed route runners you’ll see coming out of college. You saw a good connection and timing with Justin Fields and Olave in 2020 on those out-routes. That being said, I believe Olave would find his most successful scheme fit to be in an offense that features a lot of timing/rhythm patterns. He’s incredibly smooth.
Weaknesses/Room for Improvement
Olave has really good speed, not burner speed that will allow him to win with speed alone. You see a lot of body catching and he made very few catches in traffic. His hands are overall inconsistent and he doesn’t seem to be a natural hands catcher. Olave is not a WR with an expanded catch radius who can bail your QB out if they have an inaccurate throw. He won’t make very many catches over the top of a defender, some ability is there because he’s a good leaper. He tracks the ball well over his head on deep routes but he doesn’t attack the ball. As far as after the catch production, it was practically nonexistent. He has good vision and patience though. Aside from the hitch and the comeback I felt like he coasted in many of his other underneath routes. I felt he was a good seller of his routes but I’m not sure he will be able to create enough separation in the NFL. Especially considering his deficiencies as a catcher of the football in traffic. He is also very slight for an outside WR in the NFL and it’s very possible that he could be limited to playing the slot. For what he lacked in size he didn’t make up for in physicality, Olave seemed to shy away from contact. He also was slow to get up when he took significant hits.
Scheme Fit
I like him as a slot WR in a rhythm/timing based offense. He can win underneath.
Round Grade
Mid Second Round