Speed. Hands. Production. Success. Awards. Chris Olave has everything you can look for in a college prospect. From his 4.39 second 40-yard dash time to his whopping 13 touchdown passes caught in 11 games in 2020, Olave could be a stand-out WR in the NFL.
Born June 27, 2000, in San Ysidro, California, Olave has played football his entire life. That is, his entire life except for his junior season in high school. After his family moved to nearby Mission Hill, CA, the California Interscholastic Federation declared him ineligible to play his junior year, due to high school transfer rules. However, the year off didn’t shake Olave. In his senior season, Olave caught 93 passes and 26 touchdowns, getting the attention of every major college football program in the country before deciding to take his talents to Columbus and play for the Buckeyes.
Four years later, Olave owns the Ohio State record for career touchdown receptions, with 37, was named 1st team All-Big Ten twice, and is projected to be a high draft choice. Olave certainly feels he is ready for the next level, practically oozing confidence when talking to reporters at the NFL Combine:
“When you go to a place like Ohio State, you compete with the best every day, you play with the best every day, so just going against the best every day and competing with myself in the weight room, on the field and even in the classroom, I feel like I’ve been prepared for this for a couple years.”
One of the best route runners in college football, Olave uses his footwork, knowledge of the game, and speed to make defenders look silly. And, at 6 foot 187 pounds, one could hardly call him small. However, compared to the average size of an NFL wide receiver, Olave is an undersized WR. He excels in making tough catches, but will need to add some bulk to continue doing so on the NFL level. With enough speed to take the top off a defense, and his impressive route running, Olave can be sent all over the field. Come draft day, Chris Olave will be a very interesting name to watch on draft boards everywhere.
