Back in April, the New Orleans Saints made some bold trades in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft.
The Saints received the 16th and 19th overall selections from the Philadelphia Eagles, in exchange for the 18th pick and their first-round pick in 2023. They traded up again from No. 16 to No. 11 to make sure they landed their prime target, and with good reason.
Chris Olave has already made a name for himself as a premier pass-catcher, seemingly dominating every cornerback that has been lined up in front of him, even with suboptimal and inconsistent quarterback play from two different signal-callers. It shows just how talented Olave is, always proving to be a key part of the game plan, and consistently using his elite route-running ability to get open.
This is all reflected in the impressive stat line he’s put together through six starts, racking up 495 yards and a pair of touchdowns, despite facing some of the better defenses in the league over that stretch.
This all goes back to Olave’s scouting report coming out of Ohio State, where he was touted as the perhaps the best route runner in all of college football. Smooth and decisive, he dominated at the collegiate level over the previous three years, capping off his final campaign with 13 touchdown receptions. His burst in and out of routes, and his ability to understand how a defense is playing him, will clearly serve him well in the NFL for a long time to come, and he’ll only get better as he continues to learn and grow against pro competition.
Olave is already keeping defensive coordinators awake at night, and with a creative offensive scheme and more consistent quarterback play, the sky is the limit for this first-year playmaker. He’s already one of the most polished and productive pass-catchers in the league, and he’s just getting started.
