BR: When Ohio State head coach Ryan Day needs a big play, he looks in Chris Olave's direction. “With the incredible talent at the top of next April’s receiver class, Olave is often the forgotten man. It seemed like he would go that route, especially after redeeming himself with a win over Clemson in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Had he entered the 2021 NFL draft, which many people anticipated, he would have had a … Instead, Olave chose to play one more season at Ohio State and try to boost his draft … Build your custom FanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis on With the First Pick and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. That’s the approach taken by Dane Brugler for The Athletic, who released his first 2021 mock draft on Monday. Ohio State needed a performance like that from Fleming against the Wildcats, since the Buckeyes were without Olave in the game. Some team fits include the Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Indianapolis Colts. On December 28, 2019, the Ohio State Buckeyes took on the Clemson Tigers in the semi-final of the college football playoff. That has yet to be determined. He and Garrett Wilson (who is just a sophomore) have been the favorite targets of Fields as he is in the midst of another Heisman-worthy season with the Buckeyes. In January, many had Chris Olave penciled in as an early 2021 NFL Draft pick. Chris Olave would be one week away from being selected in the NFL draft. -- Rittenberg. Olave is a smooth technician and a fluid athlete. One somewhat surprising returner is wideout Chris Olave, who could have been a Day 2 pick in 2021. A big reason for him putting off the NFL is that the California product feels like he has some unfinished business to take care of. Unlike the last two years when he was a featured target for Fields, now Olave will have to work with a quarterback who hasn’t yet started a game in college. After the first few wide receivers, the 2021 NFL Draft position rankings are somewhat nebulous. While he is not the most athletic receiver in this class, Olave would be an ideal X receiver in an offense that has a plethora of weapons down the field. There’s an easily identifiable group at the top, but after that, subjectivity takes the reigns. The depth of the 2021 NFL draft class at wide receiver was impressive, and it could have been even more impressive had Chris Olave decided to cast his lot among the group. Land-Grant Holy Land, an Ohio State Buckeyes community, Chris Olave returning to Ohio State to take care of unfinished business. But Chris Olave, in my opinion, he has the ability to accelerate out of cuts and get down the field. We take a crack at filling out a first-round board below, with the draft order based on inverse odds of winning Super Bowl LVI from DraftKings Sportsbook. By Clint Buckley Jan 6, ... One of the stars of that game was receiver Chris Olave. The 2021 NFL Draft. Zach Wilson, Mac Jones, Trey Lance, and — dare I say — Trevor Lawrence should all be taken after Fields tonight. This league never sleeps, and the need for content professional football content is never-ending! With the work that he has been putting in, Hartline expects Fleming to have a big season this year for an Ohio State team that has an insane amount of talent at receiver. 3 … Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network gives his insight into the game of Olave: “Olave offers good burst and although his long-speed doesn’t appear as though it will blow anyone out of the water, he has little issue with separation thanks to suddenness in change of direction scenarios. Julian Fleming getting healthy, growing into ‘rock-star’ receiver https://t.co/fEI4YdS1wK. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports. As the Buckeyes continue towards their path back to the College Football Playoffs and beyond, look for the 6-foot-1 and 188 pound Olave to play a key role in their offense moving forward. Now, Olave has some more wrongs to right after the loss to Alabama in the national title game. The talented wide receiver stunned Ohio State fans when he announced he was returning to Columbus for his senior season. His best performance of the year came in the Big Ten Championship Game against Northwestern when he caught four passes for 53 yards. I wanted another year to try to win a national championship.” - Chris Olave on his returnhttps://t.co/i0IoANmINk. Ohio State receiver Chris Olave (2) was one of the most surprising early entry eligible NFL Draft prospects to decide to return to college for 2021. The wild card in Olave’s plan is going to be who is throwing him passes in the fall. With teams looking to shutdown Olave and Wilson, it should leave plenty of opportunities for Fleming to remind people why he was one of the most sought-after wide receivers coming out of high school. We’ve still got two days left in the 2021 draft, but what’s the harm in looking ahead? 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But to make sure that happens, Olave knows that he has to put in some work in the weight room to add to his 6-foot-1, 189 pound frame. Ryan Day indicates that Ohio State will get Chris Olave back in time to face Clemson after the Big Ten reduced its return-to-play rule to 17 days. Even with all of the obstacles that were put in front of him, Fleming still earned the respect of wide receivers coach Brian Hartline, who called Fleming one of the toughest kids he has ever been around. At this point, Olave looks like a top-50 lock as the 2021 NFL Draft approaches, with the ability to even land in the first round this upcoming April. Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Chris Olave is one receiver who’s received passing mentions as a first-round 2021 NFL Draft prospect, but nothing more. I think that is why I am calling him underrated. Who cares? Predicting Ohio State’s 2022 NFL draft picks. The Buckeyes lead all programs with the most first-round draft picks of all time, and also the most draft picks total since the year 2000. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. Showed surprising scrappiness to elevate in contested situations.”. Since the start of the season, the word is Olave has already settled on representation.”. Ohio State is only going to be more dangerous at wide receiver with Chris Olave back, and that’s stating the obvious given his elite skills and proven production. 39 overall in the 2018 draft, and Linderbaum could go even higher. The Bears actually drafted that bum Justin Fields? Following the conclusion of Ohio State’s 2020 season, it seemed like a given that wide receiver Chris Olave was going to declare for the 2021 NFL Draft. The first round of the 2021 NFL Draft came and went and there were certainly a lot of surprises.After weeks of heavy speculation that Alabama's Mac Jones would go No. On Tuesday, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler released his latest 2021 NFL two-round mock draft.With the 29th pick in the draft, he had the New Orleans Saints drafting wide receiver Chris Olave … Ryan Day, Brian Hartline, and the rest of Buckeye Nation got a late Christmas present when Olave announced that he would be returning to Columbus for his senior season. I do believe the junior could slide into the late part of the first frame, and from I’m told, he will make himself available for the 2021 draft. Powered by Minute Media © 2021 All Rights Reserved. ... Iowa's last star center, James Daniels, went No. Weeks of speculation ended with Fields being selected by the Chicago Bears. And yeah, typing that never gets old. Olave lacks the physical stature to be a dominant possession receiver in traffic and his … Those stats could have been even better had Olave not missed the Big Ten Championship Game due to COVID-19 protocols. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. It wouldn’t have been hard to fault Olave for deciding to head to the next level after the junior hauled in 50 passes for 729 yards and seven touchdowns in just seven games. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. So far this season, Olave has racked up 528 yards receiving for five touchdowns on 36 catches. While Olave could have possibly been a borderline first round pick, coming back to OSU could help him elevate his draft stock and solidify his standing as a first rounder. Hill, Olave has taken over as the top receiver at Ohio State. That’s something NFL teams are really going to love. WR Chris Olave. After the disappointing end to the 2019 season, which saw a miscommunication with quarterback Justin Fields result in a game-winning interception for Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl, Olave came back with a vengeance. Chris Olave is one of the most underrated draft prospects in the country. Instead, Olave decided to return to Ohio State and is one of a big group of players hoping to prove over the next year that they too can deliver for NFL passing games. While they have a top-two quarterback in this 2021 NFL Draft class in Justin Fields, wide receiver Chris Olave has been a key success for the Buckeyes as well this season. In fact, according to Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline has reported that Olave may already have an agent lined up. NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay raves about Chris Olave. A true route technician, Olave has illustrated high levels of football IQ and is the latest product of an Ohio State Buckeyes program that is churning out high-level prospects under the watch of wide receivers coach Brian Hartline. COLUMBUS — Chris Olave isn’t miffed by his decision to return to Ohio State. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Since he is coming back for his senior season, you’d imagine that Olave is going to be one of the favorites to win the Biletnikoff Award, which is given annually to the best wide receiver in college football. I believe in the QB play, I believe in coach (Ryan) Day, I believe in the program. He is coming off of a year with 840 yards and 12 touchdowns on 48 catches for the Buckeyes. As if Ohio State’s group of wide receivers wasn’t already stacked enough, they now will have Olave back to help set an example for the talented wide receivers of the Buckeyes. Now five games into the 2020 season, the rumblings have begun that Olave may be leaning towards entering his name into the 2021 NFL Draft. So why did Olave decide to come back to Ohio State for his senior year? On top of all that, Fleming was also dealing with a shoulder injury from high school, it was revealed on Thursday. He connected the Saints to a wide receiver he’s very excited about: Ohio State Buckeyes junior Chris Olave. A lot of people thought Chris Olave would be in this year’s NFL Draft class. Another reason for the return to Columbus is the loaded class of wide receivers in this year’s NFL Draft. The Ohio State Buckeyes are currently ranked as the number three team in the country, much to do with their offensive success. (Photo: Chris Graythen, Getty) 2020 stats: 50 catches, 729 yards, 7 touchdowns. Because of all the success in the NFL draft, we track all the OSU players as they're taking in our Ohio State football draft tracker so that you can follow along. Should Olave have a monster season and take home the award, he would become just the second Buckeye to earn the honor, joining the late Terry Glenn, who won it in 1995. Justin Fields, Wyatt Davis declare for 2021 NFL Draft; Chris Olave returning. He’s right where he should have been. Olave could have been a first-round pick Thursday night in the NFL draft, but he chose to return to Ohio State for another season of development. Or was it too high? He was a 3-star recruit in high school, but he said none of that really mattered to him. “I came back (because) I feel like we had unfinished business. Instead, he will head back to Columbus to try and boost his draft stock and win a national title. After how Wilson burst onto the scene as a freshman, expectations for Fleming to have a similar impact might have been a little unrealistic last fall. The Ohio State star wide receiver had the option to declare for the NFL Draft after the Buckeyes loss to Alabama. Chris Olave was Justin Fields' favorite target last year and is one of the best in the country. Following the conclusion of Ohio State ’s 2020 season, it seemed like a given that wide receiver Chris Olave was going to declare for the 2021 NFL Draft. You have many mock drafts from media members coming out with Chris Olave falling to the second to third round. With another year in the Ohio State weight room, and then team-leading production without Fields at quarterback, Olave will make a case for the top wide receiver in the 2022 draft. After three seniors graduated in Binjamin Victor, Austin Mack, and K.J. Olave was regarded as a potential late first-round pick by NFL draft prognosticators. Olave comes in a little slight at 188 pounds and played with a top-five pick in Justin Fields at quarterback. 13. Although Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Chris Olave’s career didn’t quite finish the way he had hoped for, Olave is ready for the next step of his career. With the combination of size and speed that Fleming has, it’s likely that we hear the Pennsylvania product’s name called early and often this year. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Many will say he is not underrated but I have to disagree. It also didn’t help Fleming that he came to Ohio State during the COVID-19 pandemic. By all accounts and measures, Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave has developed well beyond his recruiting accolades when he came out of high school. One of the top wide receivers in college football certainly had the talent to declare, but chose to return to Ohio State for one more season, Though he’s not going to hear his name called this weekend, Olave is still sending well wishes out to his teammates. Buckeyes media team works overtime on draft night, basket-Bucks have another new offer, Ohio State continues to pump out incredible content to appeal to their top targets, Ohio State Recruiting 2016: Everything You Need To Know, Ohio State Recruiting 2015: Everything You Need To Know, Stick to Sports podcast: Chris Olave’s return and other good news from this week, What to expect from Ohio State in the 2021 NFL Draft, Over/unders for Buckeyes in the NFL Draft. The 2021 NFL Draft is a wrap, which means you’re already several weeks behind on thinking about the 2022 NFL Draft! Smith passed up a likely spot in the late 1st round in the 2020 NFL Draft … Column: Justin Fields was drafted too low. The coaches believed they got an underrated diamond in the rough at the time when he came out in 2018, and that’s proven the case. That is one monstrously generous act of charity to give someone who is not physically or mentally capable of playing in the NFL! WR Chris Olave saw in the National Title game how DeVonta Smith put an exclamation point on a HUGE senior year. On a lot of teams, a talent like Fleming might be the first or second option at wide receiver, but for Ohio State right now he’s more like a third or fourth option because of the talent in front of him. Chris Olave deserves 1st-round consideration in the 2021 NFL Draft. Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave is one of the 2021 NFL Draft’s most refined prospects. A true route technician, Olave has illustrated high levels of football IQ and is the latest product of an Ohio State Buckeyes program that is churning out high-level prospects under the watch of … ... Olave can get stronger and go from a potential first-rounder to a top-20 pick in a year. And unless something truly bizarre happens in the next 11 months, Olave will be a first-round pick next April. Ohio State receiver Chris Olave announced he will return to the Buckeyes in 2021 rather than enter the NFL Draft. One of the wide receivers that will benefit from Olave returning to Ohio State for his senior season is Julian Fleming. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports, 2021 NFL Draft prospect Chris Olave. Had little issue snapping off his stem and is pretty effective to pluck the football out of the air. Both teams were just one win away from the biggest game … Just how high can he fly? Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave is one of the 2021 NFL Draft’s most refined prospects. Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields is forgoing his senior season to enter the NFL draft, while Buckeyes wide receiver Chris Olave is returning for his senior year. Ohio State QB Justin Fields declares for NFL draft, WR Chris Olave to return Sam Cooper 1/18/2021 Tennessee asks top U.S. court to reinstate two-day waiting period for abortions Oct 31, 2020; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Chris Olave (2) gestures following a first down during the fourth quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. I’ll be shocked if we get to pick 50, and he’s not off the board.” Olave finished the 2020 season with 729 yards and 7 touchdowns on 50 receptions. Column: Justin Fields is the best QB in the 2021 draft. You have to assume that Olave and Garrett Wilson will be targeted early and often by whoever ends up taking the snaps for the Buckeyes. While they have a top-two quarterback in this 2021 NFL Draft class in Justin Fields, wide receiver Chris Olave has been a key success for the Buckeyes as well this season. Wait? It … Ohio State Buckeyes: WR Chris Olave. 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