Ohio State’s Chris Olave Could Help Solve The Green Bay Packers’ Wide Receiver Woes

Note: The NFL Draft begins April 28 and the Green Bay Packers have the 22^nd and 28^th pick in the first round. Between now and then, I’ll examine 25 players the Packers could select with either of those picks.

Today, we look at Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave.

CHRIS OLAVE, WR, OHIO STATE

THE SKINNY

After a somewhat quiet freshman season (12 catches, 197 yards, three TDs), Olave had a breakout sophomore campaign with 48 receptions, 840 yards and 12 touchdowns in 14 games.

Olave ranked among the national leaders in receptions (50) and yards (726) in the shortened 2020 season when he helped Ohio State reach the national championship game. Many expected Olave to turn pro after his junior season, but he opted to return to Columbus and had a monster senior season.

In 2021, Olave caught 65 passes for 936 yards and 13 touchdowns. Olave earned second-team all-American honors and broke the school record for receiving touchdowns in a career (35).

Olave sat out the Buckeyes’ bowl game, though, to prepare for the NFL Draft.

MEASURABLES

Height: 6-0

Weight: 187

Bench press: N/A

40-yard dash: 4.39

Vertical jump: 32”

Broad jump: 10’4”

Arms: 31 1/8”

Hands: 9 1/2”

SCOUTING REPORT

Green Bay is desperate for speed, and Olave had one of the fastest 40-yard dash times at the NFL Combine (4.39). He was also one of college football’s most refined route-runners last year, making him a potential candidate to become the Packers’ No. 1 wideout in a short amount of time.

Olave has rare separation skills and can create space on all three levels. His releases, route running and ball skills are also impressive, giving him the chance to contribute immediately.

Olave lacks the size and physicality to be a dominant receiver in traffic, though. And while Olave has unique speed, his run-after-the-catch skills haven’t wowed anyone.

PACKERS’ PREDICAMENT

Green Bay traded Pro Bowl wideout Davante Adams to Las Vegas last month and now has arguably the worst collection of receivers in football.

Allen Lazard was undrafted coming out of Iowa State due to a lack of explosiveness — something that certainly hasn’t changed. Randall Cobb, set to enter his 12^th season, hasn’t played a full year since 2015. And Amari Rodgers was dreadful as a rookie in 2021.

That means the heat is on Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst to find two immediate contributors in this Draft.

THEY SAID IT

ESPN’s Mel Kiper on Olave: “Olave was a touchdown machine at Ohio State — he had 35 in four seasons — and he’s one of the best deep threats in this class. At 6-foot-1, he can play inside or outside. He’s a player who looks better and better when you watch all of his snaps in a game, because even if he didn’t catch 10 passes, he was always open.”

Olave said: “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.”

ESPN’s Todd McShay on Olave: “His game is all about speed, short-area quickness and explosion. In high school, he ran a 10.8-second 100-meter dash and posted a 23-foot, 6-inch long jump. Olave bursts off the line of scrimmage and then separates immediately. He’s among the best in the nation at generating vertical separation.”