Chris Olave came to the state of Ohio as a foreseeable prospect from San Marcos, California. He turned into a Buckeye star with a bright future. And that star will only become brighter in 2021
Olave announced Monday night that he will return to the state of Ohio for his senior year. He made the announcement on social media.
Olave was the 68th best receiver and just within the top 400 prospects in the 2018 recruiting class, and was something of a diamond in the rough for the state of Ohio. After transfer to Mission Hills High School, after his sophomore year, Olave had to put out his junior season and miss out on many of the movies that recruits offer. The Buckeye attacking quarterbacks coordinator and coach Ryan Day saw Olave for the first time during a recruiting visit to see the four-star quarterback prospect Jack Tuttle. Olave was asked to be a receiver while Tuttle threw for the Buckeye coach.
Day likes what he saw of Olave and presents the receiver in October 2017. Other top deals follow shortly thereafter, but Olave chooses the Scarlet and Gray. And Ohio State supporters are sure glad he did.
Despite a wide reception room already containing the front Parris Campbell, Terry McLaurin, Johnnie Dixon, Austin Mack and Binjimen Victor, Olave was able to make an impact as a freshman. After winning twice in the standouts early in the year, Olave stepped in when Mack was injured and ended the season with 12 receptions for 197 yards and three touchdowns, including two catches for two against rivals Michigan and a five. reception, 79-yard, one-score achievement in the Big Ten Championship Game.
At the end of his freshman year, Olave made a successful sophomore season. Olave, who appeared more frequently in the Buckeye offense, quickly developed chemistry with quarterback Justin Fields. The receiver scored at least two catches in each game and ended the year with 49 receptions for a team-best 849 yards and 12 touchdowns. After the season, Olave was named the third All-Big Ten team by the coaches and the media.
Over the course of 2020, Olave was on the preseason watchlist for the Biletnikoff Award. But like many players in the Ohio rankings, the receiver was affected by the shortening season of the Big Ten and the Buckeyes only played five games in the regular season. Olave still scored impressive numbers and scored 50 catches for 729 cards and nine times in just seven games, while the Scarlet and Gray won a fourth straight Big Ten championship and played in the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship.
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With the return of Olave, the state of Ohio will provide a loaded reception room for whatever quarter is designated as the appetizer after Justin Fields announced the NFL draft earlier Monday.