Raiders should consider Chris Olave as a fit at 22nd overall in the NFL Draft
The Raiders may look into adding more talent in the receiver room once they’re on the clock.
The 2021 Raiders appeared in their first postseason since moving to Las Vegas. Their season came to an end in the final moments of the AFC Wild Card against Cincinnati. Now, entering NFL Draft season, Las Vegas finds themselves at the 22nd slot in the first round. Many experts are trying to figure out where they should go with the pick with linebacker and cornerback being other positions continuously mentioned.
Despite various team needs required to be addressed throughout the NFL Draft, the first round is where it’s highly likely we see a receiver taken by the Raiders. A receiver they must consider is Ohio State’s Chris Olave.
Olave’s time at Ohio State
The Buckeyes’ star receiver would positively reinforce the Raiders’ offense. The Garrett Wilson-Chris Olave duo was a lot to handle last season. Specifically, Olave demonstrated how deadly he was as a 1B/no. 2 option.
Listed at 6-foot-1 and 188 pounds, Olave is coming off of his best collegiate year in terms of production. As a focal point of Ohio State’s 2021 offense, he reached career highs in receptions (65), yards (936), and receiving touchdowns (13) in 11 games played – two less than his high of 13 appearances in 2019. Additionally, Olave finished his time at Ohio State eclipsing David Boston’s previous career receiving touchdowns record of 34, amassing 35 through 2018-2021.
Why the Raiders need Olave
Vegas is in a division with offensive heavyweights. Kansas City has been one of the best offenses since the Mahomes era began and Justin Herbert and company continue to ruin defensive game plans. If Denver gets a potential quarterback upgrade, Aaron Rodgers perhaps, the Broncos will be better in 2022 and prove how much offensive firepower they truly have across the board.
Each offense in the AFC West has numerous x-factors at receiver so, Olave would be beneficial for the Raiders to close the gap between them and their rivals’ passing game weaponry.
Derek Carr, who finished 2021 fifth in passing yards, is capable of winning games solely with his arm. One of the more unappreciated quarterbacks in the league was able to propel the Raiders into the postseason via his connections with star tight end Darren Waller and wideout Hunter Renfrow.
The emergence of Zay Jones was evident but, we saw the absence of Henry Ruggs hurt this team at times. Certain situations proved the Raiders needed another dependable receiver with the ability to take the air attack over the top. Desean Jackson was brought in to clean this up but, they can’t go wrong with a more durable and younger option.
The Raiders had one of the best passing offenses in 2021 but, the two-time All-Big Ten senior makes their passing game poised for an even better future in that area.
Olave isn’t a ‘big body’ pass-catcher however, he’s a reliable playmaker. He’s smooth, showcases awareness, and hurts opposing secondaries given his top-end speed – potentially helping Carr on the deep ball. His size and strength have been questioned but, he’s still problematic for defenses.
He has a knack for picking apart the coverage on all three levels and is underrated in terms of his big-play ability on the jump ball. People have made the argument that Olave was the more talented player between him and Garrett Wilson at Ohio State despite Wilson’s numbers.
According to Next-Gen Stats, his prospect projections grade of 6.64 say he’ll be a solid starter within two years in the league. Among prospects in the first round, Olave could end up being a steal when it’s all said and done.
Once we hit the double figures in the draft order, receivers will start to come off the board.
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Olave could gain interest from Cleveland, Philadelphia, New Orleans, or New York (Jets) before Las Vegas’ time on the clock. Despite the threats, if he’s ultimately available once we hit the 20s in the first round of the NFL Draft, the Raiders should feel comfortable in pulling the trigger.