Buffalo Bills 2022 NFL Draft Prospect to Know: Chris Olave
The Buffalo Bills may be looking to add more talent to an already good wide receiver position. If that is the case, Chris Olave from Ohio State is one of the best in the 2022 NFL Draft and brings something that is missing from this offense.
Let’s take a closer look at the player and how he fits within the Bills’ offense.
Measurables/Stats
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 187 pounds
Arms: 31 1/8″
Hands: 9 1/2″
In four seasons with Ohio State, Chris Olave had 175 receptions, 2,702 receiving yards, 15.4 yards per reception, and 35 receiving touchdowns.
In the final three seasons, Olave was very consistent with double-digit touchdowns in two of those seasons (2019 and 2021) and at least 725 receiving yards each year.
NFL.com Scouting Report by Lance Zierlein
"The quiet storm of the Ohio State wide receiver corps, Olave is smooth, steady and makes things happen. His movements are fluid and easy from snap to the catch and all points between. He’s fast but efficient and plays with the bend and foot agility to uncover on all three levels. Olave possesses natural, well-rounded ball skills but needs to add play strength to ward off the physical challenges that are headed his way. His play traits should allow for success beyond the scheme and talent advantages surrounding him at Ohio State. He is an inside/outside hybrid appealing to offenses looking for a field-stretcher with the ability to take on a sizable catch load."
How Chris Olave fits with the Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills’ wide receiver position is pretty well balanced with Stefon Diggs as the number one wide receiver, Gabriel Davis as an emerging outside threat, and a veteran in the slot with the addition of Jamison Crowder.
However, the one thing they are missing is a wide receiver with speed to stretch the field and this is exactly what Chris Olave would be able to do as Lance Zierlein notes in his scouting report.
If the Bills drafted someone like Olave, defenses need to account for him on every route so even if he is a decoy, he is going to help open this offense even more by stretching the defenses. This would open up the routes underneath and in the middle of the field for Diggs, Davis, Crowder, and even Dawson Knox.
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While Olave is a good fit for this offense, it will likely be costly for Buffalo in terms of draft capital. He is a player that is expected to go in the middle of the first round and the Bills would probably have to trade up to select him. The question will be whether Brandon Beane wants to invest that much in a position that is already pretty set.