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Tribune News Service
Tribune News Service
Sport
Marcus Hartman

New Orleans Saints pick Chris Olave of Ohio State with 11th pick in NFL draft

Ohio State receivers were taken back to back in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday night.

The New Orleans Saints chose Chris Olave 11th after Garrett Wilson went to the New York Jets with the No. 10 pick.

They broke a 14-year streak with no Ohio State receivers being taken in the first round.

The last time was 2007 when a pair of Buckeyes also were taken in the first round — Ted Ginn Jr. (ninth) and Anthony Gonzalez (32).

Olave is one of the most production receivers in school history, having broken the career record with 35 touchdown catches in four years.

He is third in school history with 176 receptions and fifth with 2,711 receiving yards.

In New Orleans, he will be able to team up with fellow OSU receiver Michael Thomas, one of six former Buckeyes on the Saints roster. The others are cornerbacks Marshon Lattimore and Bradley Roby, tight end Nick Vannett, linebacker Pete Werner and defensive lineman Jalyn Holmes.

At least one Ohio State receiver has been drafted in five of the last seven drafts, including two each in 2015, ‘16, ‘17 and ‘19.

A first-team All-American last season and a two-time All-Big Ten first-teamer, Olave is the 11th Buckeye receiver drafted in that time and 21st since 2000.

He is the 46th receiver from Ohio State drafted in the common era, which began in 1967.

That does not include one of the best: Paul Warfield, who was primarily a halfback at Ohio State but went to the Browns with the No. 11 pick in 1964 and went on to become a Pro Football Hall of Famer.

Ohio State’s other first-round receivers are Joey Galloway, Terry Glenn, David Boston, Michael Jenkins, Santonio Holmes, Gonzalez and Ginn.

Since Ginn and Gonzalez went in the first round in 2007, 12 Ohio State receivers were drafted, including five in the second round.

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