Ohio State will have a pair of receivers taken in the first round of the NFL Draft for the first time since 2007.
Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson are both projected to be first-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft in Las Vegas on April 28. Either Olave or Wilson could be the first receiver taken in this year’s draft.
"There's very little separating the two," ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper said on an April 14 conference call. "Maybe a little more explosive, Wilson is. Olave is a professional in every sense of the word."
MORE: NFL Draft prospects 2022: The top 10 wide receivers
The NFL Combine improved both players’ stock. They finished with nearly equal numbers across the board.
| Player | Ht. | Wt. | Arms | 40 | Vertical | Broad |
| Olave | 6-0 | 187 | 31 1/8 | 4.39 | 32 | 124 |
| Wilson | 6-0 | 183 | 32 | 4.38 | 36 | 123 |
Which receiver will be taken first? Which one is the better long-term NFL bet? Who’s next at Ohio State? Sporting News takes a closer look.
Chris Olave's NFL Draft profile
Olave was a three-star recruit at Ohio State. He scored a pair of TDs against Michigan in the regular-season finale in 2018 and never looked back from there. He finished with 175 receptions for 2,702 yards and a school-record 35 TDs. He caught a TD once every five receptions and averaged 15.4 yards per catch. He had a 63.1% catch percentage on targets last season with Heisman Trophy finalist C.J. Stroud. Olave’s stock also ticked up after the impressive performance at the NFL Combine.
"He's experienced," Kiper said. "He catches the ball, and I think he will be a precise route runner right away."
MORE: Ohio State-only mock draft
Garrett Wilson's NFL Draft profile
Like Olave, Wilson had a breakout performance as a freshman against Michigan with three catches for 118 yards and a TD in the 2019 matchup. He’s a downfield threat with an incredible ability to high-point the football down the sideline. Wilson averaged 16.8 yards per catch with six TDs in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, and he had a full-fledged breakout with 70 catches for 1,058 yards and 12 TDs last season. He had a 68% catch percentage. The five-star recruit lived up to expectations at Ohio State and he did not disappoint at the NFL Combine.
"He ran great," Kiper said. "Tremendous body control. (Wilson is a) very versatile receiver whose route running needs to improve just a bit."
Chris Olave draft projection
SN's Vinnie Iyer has Olave landing with the Washington Commanders at the No. 11 pick in his latest seven-round mock draft. Iyer writes:
"The Commanders need to give Carson Wentz and Terry McLaurin some help at wideout and getting a true speedy No. 1 outside would be a great decision for Scott Turner's offense. Olave has a little more all-around appeal for his explosiveness than former teammates Garrett Wilson and Jameson Williams."
McLaurin and Olave played one season together with the Buckeyes, and Olave could pile up receptions in this offense if he develops a fast connection with Wentz. Olave also has been linked to Green Bay, but the Packers would have to trade up from No. 22 to get him.
Garrett Wilson draft projection
SN's Vinnie Iyer has Wilson landing with the New Orleans Saints with the No. 14 pick in his latest seven-round mock draft. Iyer writes:
"The Saints should be in the market for plenty of wide receiver depth as there's not much behind Michael Thomas beyond Marquez Callaway, given Tre'Quan Smith leads the rest of the bunch. Now that New Orleans has two first-rounders this year after a trade with Philadelphia, it can also address the offensive line concern here or three spots later at No. 19."
Wilson would also have a mentor in a former Ohio State receiver in Thomas, who had 1,137 receiving yards as a rookie in 2016. Wilson would fit New Orleans’ scheme and gives another vertical threat in the offense.
MORE: We simulated the first round in Madden; where did Wilson and Olave end up?
Who is the better NFL bet?
Wilson, Olave and Alabama’s Jameson Williams, who transferred from Ohio State, are generally considered the first three receivers off the board in the 2022 NFL Draft.
They have a high bar to meet considering the success of last year’s top three receivers. Ja’Marr Chase (81 catches, 1,455 yards, 13 TDs), Jaylen Waddle (104 catches, 1,015 yards, 6 TDs) and DeVonta Smith (64 catches, 916 yards, 5 TDs) all had monster rookie seasons. Who has the best chance to match that?
Kiper has an answer.
"Those three last year all had elite grades," Kiper said. "None of those receivers will have a grade equal to those three. Garrett Wilson would be the closest."
Wilson does have the upside factor and could emerge as a playmaker like Chase in the right situation. The talent is there, but it will come down to whether he can be consistent in his route running.
That won’t be a question for Olave, who will likely have more receptions and possibly more yards as a rookie. He’s a reliable receiver, and Iyer has kept him as the top receiver on the draft board throughout the mock process. Of course, some of that will depend on where each receiver lands and the quarterback situation.
It’s very similar to the Waddle vs. Smith debate last year. The answer really can be "Both."
Who is next at Ohio State?
Kiper also recognized the pipeline which Olave and Wilson are coming from.
"Those kids were coached well by Brian Hartline," Kiper said. "We know what a great job Hartline does with the Buckeye receivers, formerly a heck of a receiver at Ohio State and played in the NFL."
Hartline took over as Ohio State’s receivers coach in 2018 and was promoted to passing game coordinator after last season. McLaurin (2019), Parris Campbell (2019) and KJ Hill (2020) have been drafted since, and Olave and Wilson will add to that total. What’s truly scary is what's coming next.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the Buckeyes with 95 catches for 1,606 yards and nine TDs last season. Marvin Harrison Jr. had a breakout three-TD performance in the Rose Bowl. Julian Fleming and Emeka Egbuka are five-star recruits in the mix along with Jayden Ballard, Kamryn Babb and Caleb Burton. It is the deepest receiving room in the FBS right now; one that could have at least four more future first-round picks.
