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Ohio State’s Chris Olave talks NFL Draft process, why he loves playing against the best
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Chris Olave enjoyed one of the best careers for a receiver in B1G history. He left Ohio State as the all-time leader in touchdown receptions and is a projected first-round pick in this year’s NFL Draft.
With the big night just a few days away, Olave joined the Jim Rome Show to discuss the draft process and his greatest strength that he’ll bring to the NFL.
“It’s been a long process but it’s a dream come true,” Olave said.
Olave closed out his career at Ohio State with 175 catches for 2,702 yards and 35 touchdowns over 4 years. But it wasn’t the numbers that necessarily stood out throughout his career. It was his ability to break off from defenders and give his quarterbacks — Dwayne Haskins, Justin Fields and CJ Stroud — a wide-open target.
Route-running was a focal point for Olave during his time in Columbus. It’s something he takes a lot of pride in doing successfully.
“I feel like I want to be specialized in route-running,” Olave said. “I worked really hard on it. I watched a lot of film on it.”
Many times throughout his tremendous career with the Buckeyes, Olave would see an opponent’s top defensive back. Frequently, the Ohio State receiver found a way to create space and embarrass opposing secondary units.
Seeing a team’s top defensive backs was something that fueled Olave’s motivation.
“That’s just who I am. I’m a competitor. When the best players line up against me, that’s what I want,” he said. “That’s how you rise to the occasion. That’s a lot of fun for me, going against the best.”
Olave is one of two Ohio State receivers projected to be a first-round pick Thursday night. Running mate Garrett Wilson is also likely to be a Day 1 selection.
Draft coverage begins on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET with the broadcast airing on ESPN.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB