2022 NFL Draft: Deep-threat Chris Olave in DeSean Jackson mold

By Eric D. Williams
FOX Sports NFL Writer

He’s one of the most polished and productive pass-catchers in a deep group of receivers in this year’s draft.

But ask a former Ohio State teammate about the impact Chris Olave had on the Buckeyes, and you get a true sense of the kind of player one NFL franchise will get at the start of the draft Thursday.

"He’s fast, of course," Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields told reporters at the start of offseason work last week. "He’s got great hands. He’s a great route-runner. He’s probably one of the best deep-ball trackers that I’ve ever played with in my life. He’s a great player and a great person. Just his mindset and the way he carries himself is awesome. He’s my guy."

A native of San Marcos, California, a half-hour north of San Diego, Olave is one of the fastest receivers in this year’s draft, posting a 4.39-second 40-yard time at the NFL Scouting Combine. The 6-foot, 187-pound Olave was a captain his final season at Ohio State, where he finished his career with a school-record 35 touchdown receptions, including 13 in his final season.

That’s notable, considering that the list of talented receivers who played at Ohio State before Olave includes Hall of Famer Cris Carter, David Boston, Santonio Holmes, Michael Thomas, Terry Glenn, Terry McLaurin and Joey Galloway.

Olave also finished third in school history in receptions (176), fifth in receiving yards (2,711) and second with 11 100-yard games in his four-year career.

Garrett Wilson, Olave’s teammate at OSU, is also considered one of the top receivers in this draft, along with USC's Drake London, Alabama's Jameson Williams, Penn State’s Jahan Dotson and Arkansas' Treylon Burks.

Teams that make sense for Olave in the middle of the first round include the Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers.

"I think he’s the best deep threat in this draft class," FOX Sports NFL draft analyst Rob Rang said of Olave. "Jameson Williams of Alabama would be right there with him but, of course, is coming off the [ACL] injury. Olave is almost like his name; he’s just smooth.

"My biggest concern is … if you hit him hard enough, he doesn’t always hang on to the ball. At his best, you put him on the perimeter and let him go downfield and get deep with over-the-shoulder catches."

Rang said NFL comps for Olave include Will Fuller and Phillip Dorsett. But the player Olave said he always tried to emulate was another Southern California product: DeSean Jackson.

"I really looked up to him as a football player growing up," Olave told reporters at last month’s combine. "All the deep touchdowns he had, the 75-yard touchdowns he had, I try to put that into my game as a deep threat. And he had that swag, too, coming from California where I’m from. So, I definitely looked up to him. And still today, I look up to him."

Selected No. 49 overall in the 2008 draft by the Eagles, Jackson has been an electric playmaker, totaling 632 receptions for 11,110 receiving yards and 66 touchdowns in 14 NFL seasons.

The 35-year-old Cal product said there are some similarities between how he plays and Olave’s skill set.

"I definitely see a lot of characteristics as far as his quick-twitch, his big-playmaking ability," Jackson told FOX Sports. "Obviously, I appreciate the respect to me. Any time you pattern your game or look at someone and say they had a great career and try to go be better than them, that’s a great starting point.

"I love his competitive nature. I love how crisp he runs his routes. He just makes some big plays, and I’m excited to see what he does at the next level."

However, Jackson said that to have the same impact in the pros that Olave had in college, he'll have to come in with the attitude that he’s ready to compete.

"The mindset is No. 1, and I think that people underplay that," Jackson said. "I came into the NFL and started right away, earned my respect in training camp being a rookie. It’s really coming in and not being content, regardless of what your status is — whether you’re drafted in the first round, second round or whatever it is — you’ve got to come in and just have the mentality that you want to be great, and you’ve got to earn it from the vets.

"So, I think if he comes in humble, works hard and proves he can play on that level, I think the sky’s the limit."

The traits that make the 21-year-old Olave stand out are his ability to consistently create separation at the top of his routes and also shake loose down the field because of his ability to change speeds. That’s how you win one-on-one matchups in the NFL.

Olave averaged 15.4 yards per catch at Ohio State and, according to Pro Football Focus, finished with just a 4.9% drop rate.

Yes, there has been some criticism of his ability to play through contact and break tackles after the catch. But when a receiver can run past defenders, catch deep balls on top of their heads or run away from them at the top of the route, offensive coordinators will find ways to scheme explosive plays with that type of skill set.

"He’s a silky-smooth route-runner who can do so many different things," NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said during a conference call with reporters this week. "He tracks the ball really, really well. He’s incredibly smart. His coaches rave about him.

"He just needs to get a little bit stronger. That’s kind of the one knock on Chris. But he’s been doing it since he got [to Ohio State]. Whether it was blocking a punt against Michigan as a freshman, he’s always found a way to make plays."

FOX Sports NFL analyst Bucky Brooks summarized the Ohio State receiver's potential this way: "Olave is a scoring machine with speed and explosiveness to win on deep routes from an outside alignment. As a crafty vertical route-runner, he would be a perfect fit as a WR2 in an offense that loves to push the ball down the field."

Defensive backs beware.

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter @eric_d_williams.