San Diego born-and-raised Chris Olave has been selected #11 overall in Thursday's NFL draft of 2022, after trading up in the draft order to make their selection out of Ohio State University.
Gathered with his family Thursday, Chris Olave witnessed his name being called on television early in the first round, finding out he is heading to the south of the country, where he will be playing for the New Orleans Saints.
Olave transferred high schools at one point to Missions Hills High after his dad got a new job in the north county of San Diego, and eventually came Ohio State knocking on his door to recruit him.
The San Diego native fulfilled incredible achievements for the Buckeyes, enough to become a first rounder in this year's draft, to a football team that will pair him up with another great wide-receiver talent in Michael Thomas, who also went to Ohio State as a collegiate football player.
"When I got the call right after my teammate got selected, that's when my dreams turned into realities," Olave stated during a post-draft interview. "They told me during the process that they love the Buckeyes," Olave said. "I knew it was going to be a good fit for me, playing alongside Mike Thomas. I'm glad we've got that pipeline going."
Saints first-year head coach Dennis Allen says that Olave is a great fit for their organization, emphasizing his football IQ and athletic ability on the field, in particularly his route-running.
“Chris was a guy that we coveted from the very beginning of this draft process,” Saints coach Dennis Allen said. “He’s tough, smart, competitive, highly polished and one of the better route runners. He’s the one guy I felt like I knew exactly what I’m getting.”
Olave feels ready entering his rookie season, a season where he expects to bring a lot to the table through his play-making ability as a slot and wide receiver.
“I feel like I have a lot of strengths in my game,” Olave said. “It’s just being a complete receiver. I can play the slot or outside, and I just want to make plays at the end of the day.”
