When the New Orleans Saints made a trade up in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, many thought they were coming up for a quarterback. However, that was not the plan that the front office had in place. Instead, they moved up in order to select Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave.

Olave was a player that rose up draft boards quickly throughout the pre-draft process. Being able to get him is a huge move for the Saints and will be a move that compliments star wide receiver Michael Thomas perfectly. Jameis Winston could not be happier about the move.

Following his selection by the Saints, Pro Football Focus put out a statistic that shows just how dominant Olave has been over the last couple of years at Ohio State.

Olave has been an absolute monster over the last couple seasons and the Saints are going to see that kind of production on the field. For a team that needed a wide receiver, the first round could not have gone better.

During the 2021 season with the Buckeyes, Olave ended up catching 65 passes for 936 yards and 13 touchdowns. Standing in at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, Olave combines great speed with great hands and route running. He is going to be a handful for opposing defensive backs to guard.

Looking at the offense the Saints have put together, they should be one of the most productive in the NFL. Assuming Winston comes back fully healthy, this team could be a dark-horse playoff contender. Surrounding
Winston with Thomas, Olave, and Alvin Kamara gives the team plenty of playmaking options.

Expect to see Chris Olave come in and make a major instant impact. New Orleans trading up to get him will go down as one of the best moves from the 2022 NFL Draft.