We’re more than a month away from the 2022 NFL draft, but some consensus is beginning to build for expert takes on where the New Orleans Saints may go in the first round. Wide receivers run deep in this draft class and the Saints are frequently projected to take one of the best pass catchers available. In his latest mock draft for ESPN, Todd McShay has the Saints acquiring Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Chris Olave. Here’s what he wrote of the match:
“Quarterback is super tempting, especially with Liberty’s Malik Willis still sitting on the board. We know Taysom Hill isn’t the answer, but I do think Jameis Winston goes back to New Orleans in free agency and puts at least a short-term solve on the Saints’ signal-caller woes. But who is he throwing to? Michael Thomas hasn’t been able to stay healthy, and two of the team’s top three wide receivers from 2021 — Tre’Quan Smith and Deonte Harris — are free agents. Olave, meanwhile, is a silky smooth runner with 4.39 speed and great acceleration — and he scored at least once in nine of 11 games last season. Winston (or whoever ends up under center) would immediately have a reliable downfield target.”
I can only speak for myself, but to me Olave is the best receiver in this draft class. His college resume is unimpeachable: he appeared in 38 games, scoring 35 touchdowns and catching 175 receptions for 2,702 receiving yards. He led the Buckeyes in receiving yards in 2019 and 2020, with teammates Garrett Wilson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba benefiting from the attention he demanded defenses commit to him in 2021.
And that production was paired with a solid performance at the NFL scouting combine in which Olave timed the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds. He’s not the biggest or most explosive receiver around, but the work he’s put in to refining his routes and his straight-line speed make him a threat to score on every down. Olave hasn’t posted the extreme Relative Athletic Score that lines up with New Orleans’ standards, but he’s awful close (and he hasn’t finished testing), so don’t overthink it.
That’s an ideal pairing for Michael Thomas, who has done his best work underneath the coverage as an automatic first down conversion for his quarterbacks. With defenses focused on guarding Thomas, Olave can fly downfield. When they respond to Olave’s presence Thomas gets more room to work with. Both players win, and it’s worth remembering the relationship Thomas is already cultivating with Olave as a mentor.
But, hey, it’s March. Free agency hasn’t begun yet. We don’t know what the Saints’ top team needs will look like on draft day. If they add a couple of receivers in free agency, the position becomes a luxury and Olave, or any other pass catcher, may not be considered once New Orleans is on the clock. Maybe the Saints start to look harder at quarterbacks, safeties, or left tackles should Jameis Winston, Marcus Williams, or Terron Armstead leave for better opportunities. We’ve still got a ways to go.
