One of the things that the New Orleans Saints set out to do this offseason was to upgrade their wide receiver position. In 2021, Alvin Kamara led the team in receptions with only 47 as wide receiver Marquez Callaway finished right behind him with 46.
Knowing they needed an upgrade at the position, the front office set out to bring in some talent. Veteran Jarvis Landry was signed in free agency and they were hopeful that Michael Thomas would return to form and get healthy after missing a lot of the last two seasons.
But, neither of those players is going to be here for the long haul. Landry signed a one-year deal and Thomas is out for the season again with another injury, clouding his future with the team. Luckily for New Orleans, they addressed their long-term need for the position during the 2022 NFL Draft.
The Saints made a huge trade with the Philadelphia Eagles to move up to No. 11 and used that pick on Ohio State wide receiver, Chris Olave. The former Buckeye has been everything the Saints had hoped for and more as he has already established himself as the team’s No. 1 option in the passing game.
Despite some inconsistent play at the quarterback position, Olave has had a very good rookie campaign. According to PFF, Olave has been targeted 88 times, turning that into 56 receptions for 822 yards and three touchdowns. Most impressively, Olave has only one drop despite all of those targets.
That is an impressive feat for any pass catcher only having one drop, let alone a rookie. He has regularly showcased his elite speed, athleticism and route running that made him such a dominant player collegiately.
Whoever the Saints target as their long-term answer at the quarterback position can rest easy knowing they have the reliable Olave as their No. 1 target for years to come.
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