Ohio State senior wide receiver Chris Olave (2) is lifted into the air for his successful touchdown during the Ohio State-Akron game. Ohio State won 59-7. Credit: Gabe Haferman | Asst. Photo Editor
When the confetti settled and the lights turned out at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami last January, then-junior wide receiver Chris Olave had a decision to make.
The wideout just finished an eight-catch performance against No. 1 Alabama in what could have been his last game as a Buckeye. Olave’s first opportunity to enter the NFL was ahead, and he very well could have been selected to earn both a professional roster spot and contract.
But Olave said his legacy at Ohio State was not over.
“I’m a competitor, so after the national championship, I had a terrible feeling in my stomach. I just didn’t want to leave college like that,” Olave said in April. “Growing up, I always wanted to win a national championship, I always wanted to do everything in college. I feel like we had unfinished business.”
In a surprising move, Olave returned to the Buckeyes for his senior season. The 2020 First Team All-Big Ten receiver currently leads Ohio State in receiving touchdowns and has started all five games.
Olave was voted best football player on the No. 7 Ohio State roster by readers of The Lantern.
“He’s got a really bright future. He puts a little bit of pressure on himself because he wants to be the best in the country, and that’s good,” head coach Ryan Day said. “We want guys like that. His experience has really helped that room.”
Named a captain for the first time in 2021, Olave leads the Buckeyes’ wide receiver room, touted as one of the best in college football.
The California native completes a dangerous duo with junior wide receiver Garrett Wilson, a fellow preseason All-American. Sophomore wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba makes the pair more of a three-headed monster from the slot position, and a number of four- and five-star recruits wait in the wings behind them.
Olave is already a threat when the Buckeyes look to move deep downfield, and his athleticism is apparent from the toe-tap catches he completes with regularity. However, there’s more Olave said he wants to add to his skill set.
“I feel like I needed to work on some things,” Olave said. “Try to get in the weight room more, get a lot stronger, turn into a complete receiver. Try to be NFL-ready Week 1 when I get to the NFL.”
The 2021 season has been an intriguing one for Olave, where he saw 12 total receiving yards across Weeks 3 and 4 while getting shut out completely against Tulsa.
Olave burst back onto the scene against Rutgers, however, with his third 100-yard performance of the year. He added two touchdowns to move into a tie with Pro Football Hall of Famer Cris Carter for most receiving scores in Ohio State history.
“To be able to get that feel again, get my hands on the ball, make some plays with my team, that’s huge for me,” Olave said. “That’s all I want to do is make the team better.”
It’s easy to see how skilled Olave is on the football field, but the impact he has on his teammates off of it is even greater.
His return to Ohio State showed his commitment to not only himself and his football future, but also to the Buckeyes.
“I think everyone knew what he could do on the field, but to be captain is a direct reflection of how he’s carried himself off the field,” wide receivers coach Brian Hartline said. “He’s not a big ‘rah rah’ guy, so it just shows how I’m sure he is pulling guys aside and making an impact when guys aren’t around. That’s who Chris is: always has been.”
