GOATs? How do Olave and Wilson stack up among best WR duos ever?

We all know Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson are good. Historically good. The best receiver tandem in Big Ten history good. But are they the best WR tandem in college football history? Let’s stack them up with 10 of the nation’s best WR duos ever, see where they stand, and consider what it might take to wrap up the all-time top spot as WR teammate GOATs.

Olave and Wilson

It’s hard to evaluate Olave and Wilson statistically because of the short 2020 season, but here’s where we are. Neither is a massive physical specimen (Olave is 6-1,  Wilson is 6-0), both have plenty of big-play skills, and Wilson has seen plenty of time in the slot, but both are slated to play outside in 2021.

Coming into 2020, Olave already had eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards and was 3rd-team All-Big Ten in 2019. Wilson had 432 receiving yards as a true freshman in 2019 — more than double what Olave posted in his true freshman campaign. The 2020 stats don’t tell all of the story. Of course, OSU played in 8 games, and in a normal season, they would have played 15 (12 regular season, Big 10 title, CFP semi and final). Projecting the 8 game stats out to 15 games in 2020 would have yielded this:

Olave: 94 receptions, 1,367 yards, 13 TDs

Wilson: 81 receptions, 1,356 yards, 11 TDs

And of course, this was Olave’s 3rd season (and only 2nd as a starter) and Wilson’s 2nd season. Logically, their production could well continue to climb. But of course, OSU is breaking in a new QB, which could hurt their stats. But let’s assume similar seasons in 2021. What other tandems could compare, based on their best season together?

Already outshone by Olave and Wilson

Santana Moss and Reggie Wayne, Miami, 2000: They both went in the 1st round of the following year’s NFL Draft (1 of 6 pass-catching duos to do so), but that Miami squad didn’t win the national title and neither receiver reached 50 catches or 800 receiving yards. Not eye-popping enough to equal the Buckeyes.

Kassim Osgood and JR Tolver, San Diego State, 2002: They are probably the best receiver combo you never heard of. Tolver had 128 catches for 1,785 yards and 13 TDs, and Osgood had 108 grabs for 1,552 yards and 8 TDs. If that sounds like a video game, it must have been. San Diego State went 4-9 and basically had no one else on their team. Not on the same page or even in the same book as Olave and Wilson.

Ted Ginn Jr. and Anthony Gonzalez, Ohio State, 2006: They were good enough to get the Buckeyes to the BCS championship, but after an early injury to Ginn in the title game, the Buckeyes couldn’t finish the deal. Ginn brought the kind of electricity that Olave and Wilson can provide, but the raw numbers left each player short of 60 catches or 800 receiving yards. Basically, Olave and Wilson had similar stats last season in 5 fewer games.

Michael Crabtree and Danny Amendola, Texas Tech, 2007: The Red Raiders produced a combo that made San Diego State’s duo above seem like they were running the triple option. Crabtree (134 catches, 1,962 yards, 22 TDs) and Amendola (109 catches, 1,245 yards, 6 TDs) put up insane stats in Mike Leach’s Air Raid attack. But that attack works against their street cred  — yes, Crabtree and Amendola were ballers, but that offense made Joel Filani an All-American. The team went 9-4, the defense was a sieve, but man, did they put up some numbers.

Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr., LSU, 2013: On the other hand, in 2013, LSU had a dynamic duo, despite an offense that prominently featured Zach Mettenberger. Landy (77 receptions, 1,193 yards, 10 TDs) was kind of a surprise for the Tigers, but everybody knew about Odell Beckham Jr. (59 receptions, 1,152 yards, 8 TDs). While those 2 players were stellar, the team went 10-3, in part because nobody else caught the ball for LSU (the team’s 3rd-leading receiver was running back Jeremy Hill, with 181 receiving yards). Ohio State figures to have both a better supporting cast and better ultimate results.

Tyler Johnson and Rashod Bateman, Minnesota, 2019: The only pair of first-team All-Big Ten receivers who each had 1,000 receiving yards are Johnson (86 receptions, 1,318 yards, 13 TDs) and Bateman (60 receptions, 1,219 yards, 11 TDs), who had great 2019 seasons. Their outstanding play highlighted an 11-2 season for Minnesota, the best season the Gophers had had in over 50 years. It’s arguable that the excellent play of Johnson and Bateman stands on par with Olave and Wilson, but at the end of the day, OSU has already been in the CFP twice with Olave and Wilson, and that has to give an edge to the Buckeyes.

DeVonta Smith and Jerry Jeudy, Alabama, 2019: Alabama’s decision to opt in on the passing game brought an immediately memorable duo in 2019. Smith (68 receptions, 1,256 yards, 14 TDs) and Jeudy (77 receptions, 1,163 yards, 10 TDs) are the duo that might most resemble Olave and Wilson. Neither was oversized, both were field-stretchers, and their production was pretty evenly split. That said, this bunch ended up playing in the Citrus Bowl. While Smith does get some bonus points for his 2020 season, the 2019 duo probably can’t hold up against OSU.

Some work left for Olave and Wilson

Reidel Anthony and Ike Hilliard, Florida, 1996: A quarter century ago, Florida set the then-standard for WR teammates with soon-to-be NFL 1st-round picks Anthony (72 catches, 1,293 yards, 18 TDs) and Hilliard (47 catches, 900 yards, 10 TDs). Not only did these guys help UF to the national title, but they were the first pair of college receiver teammates to be picked in the 1st round of the same NFL Draft. Steve Spurrier’s Fun-N-Gun offense also gained credibility, which has been pivotal in the development of college football from the days of Woody Hayes to the days of, well, Ryan Day.

Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase, LSU, 2019: Another legendary pair of receivers were LSU’s Jefferson (111 receptions, 1,540 yards, 18 TDs) and Chase (84 receptions, 1,780 yards, 20 TDs), who dominated college football in 2019. It was Joe Burrow who got the Heisman plaudits, but Jefferson and Chase accounted for almost half of his completions and about 60% of his yards and touchdowns. And of course, they went 15-0 and won the national title.

DeVonta Smith and John Metchie, Alabama, 2020: This great receiver duo stacks up very differently than Olave and Wilson. There wasn’t a ton of balance between Smith (117 receptions, 1,856 yards, 23 TDs) and Metchie (55 receptions, 916 yards, 6 TDs), in large part because the duo was going to be Smith and Jaylen Waddle until injuries took down Waddle. Of course, Smith and Waddle went on to be NFL 1st-round picks, but it was Metchie who ended up on the field opposite Smith. Still, a ton of production, a Heisman winner, and a national title are hard to argue with.

What would help?

So OSU’s duo already has bypassed 7 of the top 10 receiving teammate duos of recent history. How could they finish the deal? Well, it can’t escape notice that all 3 duos they’re still chasing won national titles. Obviously, that would help the climb. DeVonta Smith adds some extra prestige with his Heisman Trophy win, making him the only receiver on this list to have won the honor. OSU has never had a receiver end up as a finalist for the Heisman. Even that step would add some extra panache for Olave and/or Wilson.

Only 2 of the duos had each receiver making 100 receptions and only 4 of them had each receiver reaching 1,200 yards. Olave and Wilson could hit both those benchmarks if this season goes according to plan for the Buckeyes.

Joe Cox

Veteran college writer Joe Cox covers Ohio State and college basketball for Saturday Tradition.