COLUMBUS, Ohio – Chris Olave, who spent four years building one of the great wide receiver resumes in Ohio State history, is on his way to the National Football League as the New Orleans Saints have chosen him in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Olave was the 11th overall selection of this draft.
Olave, who set the school record with 35 touchdown receptions, is just the ninth Ohio State receiver to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. He and teammate Garrett Wilson, the 10th overall selection of this draft, join Ted Ginn and Anthony Gonzalez as Ohio State WR teammates selected in the first round of the same draft.
Ohio State WRs Drafted in the First-Round
2022 – Garrett Wilson, No. 10 overall to NY Jets
2022 – Chris Olave, No. 11 overall to New Orleans
2007 – Ted Ginn, No. 7 overall to Miami
2007 – Anthony Gonzalez, No. 32 overall to Indianapolis
2006 – Santonio Holmes, No. 25 overall to Pittsburgh
2004 – Michael Jenkins, No. 29 overall to Atlanta
1999 – David Boston, No. 8 overall to Arizona
1996 – Terry Glenn, No. 7 overall to New England
1995 – Joey Galloway, No. 8 overall to Seattle
1964 – Paul Warfield, No. 11 overall to Cleveland
In addition to setting the school touchdown receptions record, Olave ranks third in Ohio State history in receptions with 176 and fifth in receiving yards with 2,711. He was a first-team All-American in 2021 after catching 65 passes for 936 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Olave is the 87th Buckeye to be selected in the first-round of the draft. No school has more first-round draft picks.
Ohio State Career Overview
#2 Chris Olave / Wide Receiver / 6-1, 189 / San Ysidro, Calif. / Mission Hills H.S.
- Team captain in 2021
- One of the great receivers in school history who set the Ohio State school record with 35 receiving touchdowns, the fourth-most in Big Ten Conference history, and who ranks third in school history in receptions with 176 and fifth in receiving yards with 2,711
- Also ranks second at Ohio State with 11 100-yard games in his career
- A first-team All-American in 2021 (American Football Coaches Association) and also named second-team All-American by AP, Walter Camp and FWAA
- Teamed with Garrett Wilson (Football Writers Association of America) to become the first set of Ohio State receivers to be named first-team All-American in the same season
- Caught 65 passes for 936 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior in 2021
- Tied for sixth nationally in 2021 with his 13 receiving TDs
- First-team all-Big Ten Conference in 2020 and 2021
- Played in 47 games over his four seasons with the team and started 24 times
- Played on three consecutive Big Ten Conference championship teams (2018-19-20) and on two Ohio State teams that qualified for the College Football Playoffs (2019 and 2020)
- Led the 2020 Buckeyes in receptions (50), receiving yards (729) and touchdowns (seven)
- Tied an Ohio State single-season record for receptions per game with 7.1 in 2020
- Caught six passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns in a 49-28 win over No. 2 Clemson in the CFP Semifinal at the Sugar Bowl
- Blossomed into one of the Big Ten and nation’s top wide receivers as a true sophomore in 2019, finishing as the team leader in receiving yards (849), yards per catch (17.3) and touchdowns (12)
- Was a difference-maker as a true freshmen for the Buckeyes in 2018, making a name for himself as a big-play wide receiver and on special teams
- After catching two passes over the first nine games, hauled in 10 catches for 178 yards and three touchdowns in the final five contests
- On one of the biggest stages in college football as a true freshman in 2018, caught two touchdowns and blocked a punt that led to a touchdown in the 62-39 win over No. 4 Michigan
Honors & Awards
2021: Graduated with his degree in consumer and family financial services; First-team All-American (AFCA); First-team All-Big Ten (coaches); Team captain
2020: First-team All-Big Ten (coaches and media)
2019: Third-team All-Big Ten (coaches and media)
