Chris Olave Ohio State

With the disappointing career thus far of Jalen Reagor a lot of Eagles fans think you need to draft another WR. I have had my eye on Chris Olave Ohio State for a while now and you should too. Some mock drafts actually have Olave going to the Eagles at 15. Olave is a great route-runner with polish. He shows an understanding of not only the routes he runs but the concept that the offense is running and will tempo his routes accordingly.

Chris Olave is an average-sized WR who can align outside as well as in the slot. He is a smooth athlete who plays fast but is always under control. Olave’s lack of size and play strength does show up when he’s asked to block in the run game, where he is currently a below-average contributor. Although it wasn’t a detriment in college, there will also be some concerns about how well he can consistently win vs. press coverage due to his skinnier frame.

Chris Olave showing his elite body control on a 30 yard TD grab pic.twitter.com/tpelPkxiB9
— NFL Prospect Clips (@NflProspectClip) April 6, 2022

Chris Olave Ohio State plays with balance and body control, which allows him to battle through contact and also attack defenders vertically before running by them or uncovering on a route. His understanding of space is on display when he’s asked to run more “advanced” routes and also during scramble drills, where he has to find unoccupied areas of the field.

Overall, Olave projects as a Day 1 starter as an inside and out “Z” WR for any NFL offense due to his comfort level with an assortment of concepts and his steady and consistent play style. His versatile skillset as a receiver can translate to any offense. He is a good overall athlete who plays fast. Consistently gets off the ball quickly at the snap. Uses his snap anticipation to his advantage to get vertical on defenders at a faster speed than they are expecting.

Pros

— Very good route-runner. Uses his body control, core strength and balance to consistently win.

— Displays an advanced route tree and polish at all three levels. Asked to run more technique-driven routes in high-leverage situations like the red zone and third down and is consistently able to do so. Plays with tempo and understanding of route concepts.

— Has the feel to find soft spots in zone coverages. Knows how to stay friendly to the QB and uncover. Great on scramble drills due to his spatial awareness.

— Good, natural hands. Comfortable extending away from his body to maximize his size.

— Has the ability to align both inside and outside.

— Good with the ball in his hands. Gets north and can pull away from defenders.