2022 NFL Draft: Ohio State WR Chris Olave checks every box

Strengths of Olave’s Game

There’s a reason Olave checks every box. It starts with what he does well at the line of scrimmage. His release game is impressive, and he does vary things up, from working quickly into a speed release or using jabs and hesitation moves at the line to create some deception. Olave also can win quickly on the slant route with his quickness and burst at the line.

As a vertical threat, Olave thrives. His work on a vertical plane is extremely impressive. He displays good hesitation moves in his stem to freeze corners and create vertical separation, has a good grasp on double moves, and wins well on comeback routes along with “nine” routes vertically down the field. His release, combined with the burst and straight line speed he possesses, give him a great advantage in this area. Olave stacks corners with ease and does a great job maintaining that leverage and position through the catch point.

Olave has all of the intangibles as well, and some of the best in the 2022 NFL Draft class right now. He has great hands and always plucks the football away from his frame. His work to find space against zone coverage makes him extremely reliable, and he constantly works back to the football when targeted in the short and intermediate areas of the field.

Olave does have a complete route tree, and can be a three level threat. While his routes are more smooth than crisp, his burst will be his calling card, especially on horizontal routes.

After the catch, Olave does a good job staying patient while blocks get into place on designed screens, and can maximize yardage with that speed and burst.