Mickey Loomis traded up into the 11th spot of the 2022 NFL Draft to select wide receiver Chris Olave out of Ohio State, who could become a key player for the New Orleans Saints offense in the future.
Nov 20, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) celebrates his touchdown with Jarvis Landry (5) in the second half against the Los Angeles Rams at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Six rookies are finalists for the 2022 Pepsi Zero Sugar NFL Rookie of the Year award, one of the highest honors in the league.
Olave had an impressive rookie campaign with the New Orleans Saints. He led the team with 72 receptions and 1,042 receiving yards and added four touchdowns which were second in the league for rookies in both categories.
Quarterback Andy Dalton trusted Olave to find openings in the opponents’ secondary, contributing to a 69.5 receiving yards per game average to lead all NFL rookies.
Olave recorded the third-best rookie total receiving yards in a season behind Marques Colston’s 1,038 receiving yards in 2006 and Michael Thomas’ 1,137 in 2016.
Dec 5, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) is chased by Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Zyon McCollum (27) in the fourth quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
According to the NFL’s announcement, Chris Olave “led all rookies with 12 games with 50-or-more receiving yards, tied for the third-most such games ever by a rookie, trailing only Michael Clayton (14 games in 2004) and Terry Glenn (13 games in 1996).”
The San Diego, California native proved to be an extremely talented receiver and an excellent fit in the New Orleans Saints offense. He debuted in Week 1 against Atlanta with three catches, 41 yards, and a two-point conversion in New Orleans’ comeback 27-26 win.
His route-running and explosiveness made Olave special as a rookie. Although he came in second to former OSU teammate Garrett Wilson’s 1,102 total receiving yards, he played in two fewer games. He was projected to eclipse the Jets rookie in the season receiving totals.
Joining Olave and Wilson as the rookie finalists nominated for the 2022 Pepsi Zero Sugar NFL Rookie of the Year award are Sauce Gardner (Jets), Aidan Hutchinson (Lions), Kenneth Walker (Seattle), and Tariq Woolen (Seahawks).
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