3-star WR Chris Olave signs with Ohio State on National Signing Day

Soon after picking up his scholarship offer from the Ohio State coaching staff, three-star wide receiver Chris Olave had the following to say to Land-Grant Holy Land about his opportunity to suit up in the Scarlet and Gray.

“This offer is unreal. Growing up watching college football, Ohio State was always a powerhouse and still is. Knowing I have an offer from one of the top programs in the nation is unbelievable. This offer means a lot for my recruitment. They’re definitely one of my top schools from here on out and I’ll take a deep look into OSU.”

A few months later, Olave will live out his dreams of playing on the college level, as he’s put pen to paper, signing his national letter of intent with Urban Meyer, Ryan Day, Zach Smith, and the rest of the Ohio State coaching staff days after dishing out his verbal pledge to the Buckeyes.

A speedster from Mission Hills High School in San Marcos, California, the 6’1 and 170-pounder — who chose OSU on January 28 over scholarships from the likes of USC, UCLA, and Utah — will help give the Buckeyes four more dynamic playmaking options, joining fellow class of 2018 signees L’Christian “Blue” Smith, Kamyrn Babb, and Cameron Brown on the now stacked Ohio State wide receiver depth chart.

Although, it might be pretty tough to walk right in and grab a spot in the Buckeyes rotation as a true freshman, with Parris Campbell, Terry McLaurin, Johnnie Dixon, K.J. Hill, Binjimen Victor, and others returning, Chris has gone above and beyond to prove doubters wrong in the past.

Missing his entire junior campaign due to transfer rules, Olave, the 69th wide out, and 396th overall prospect in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, bounced back to put together a season people will talk about for years to come. Hauling in nearly 100 receptions from University of Utah quarterback signee Jack Tuttle, he finished his senior year with a San Diego Section-record 1,764 yards and 26 touchdowns to help lead the Mission Hills Grizzlies to an overall record of 12-1 and a near state championship title.

Scouting Report

“If you’re still disappointed about Ohio State losing Tyjon Lindsey to Nebraska in the last recruiting cycle, I’ve got good news for you: Chris Olave is a very similar prospect. He’s a prototypical slot receiver in skill, with the size of a primary receiver (6-foot-1, 170 pounds).

He’s a very crisp route runner, and he’s electric with the ball in his hands—because of his quickness, and surprisingly long strides. He’s never really going to be a big play kind of receiver, as he isn’t really a burner, but he’s capable of tracking down deep throws, and could find himself at the “K.J. Hill” hybrid slot/H-back position.

With his consistently good hands, and willingness to block, Olave could see the field early in Columbus, as Ohio State will have a mass exodus of receivers next season, with Parris Campbell, Terry McLaurin, Johnnie Dixon, and C.J. Saunders all graduating, and Binjimen Victor, Austin Mack, and K.J. Hill could all decide to declare for the NFL as well.”

—Patrick Mayhorn, Land-Grant Holy Land

Highlights