‘Tis the season of lists and we’ve got a good one for you when it comes to Ohio State football.
Pro Football Focus has blown up in the world of measuring player performance with metrics and analytics in college football. The popular website grades multiple positions and players on their performance on the football field. We’re not really sure what goes into making the sausage, but the folks at PFF seem to be pretty accurate with what they do.
And now, they have released a top ten of returning wide receivers in the college game, and you might be surprised by where two OSU receivers fall on this ranking (hint: it’s pretty good).
Here are the two Ohio State pass catchers that fell in the top ten, where they fell, and what Anthony Treash said about both.
NEXT … The first Buckeye receiver mentioned
No. 1 – Chris Olave
What PFF says about Chris Olave
“Olave was projected to be a first-round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, but he made the surprising decision to return to school and boost his stock even higher. For the Buckeyes, this is clearly fantastic news. They are getting back one of the most, if not the most, refined route-runners in college football.”
“He has generated a step or more of separation on over 87% of his targets since 2019, the highest rate in the country. Against single coverage over the past two seasons, Olave has racked up 15 receptions to result in a 15-plus yard gain in which he had more than a couple of steps of separation. That trailed only Alabama’s DeVonta Smith for the most in the FBS (19) and is five more than the next best Power Five receiver.”
NEXT … The second Buckeye receiver mentioned
No. 2 – Garrett Wilson
What PFF says about Chris Olave
“Ohio State may no longer have Justin Fields, but the team does have the clear-cut best wide receiver duo in the country. That’ll surely ease the transition for (most likely) C.J. Stroud at quarterback. Like his teammate Olave, Wilson is one of the best route-runners in the game. He impressed against single coverage (sixth in PFF grade on such plays) and frequently found soft spots against zone while working from the slot. That led to a separation rate that ranked eighth-highest in college football this past season. The 2019 five-star recruit is bound to put up numbers in this offense once again in 2021.”
So, it’s pretty good to have two receivers appear on this listing, but to have the top two should hopefully bode well for Ohio State, its new quarterback, and the offense. And while it’s good news for the Buckeyes, it’s probably not for Michigan and others in the Big Ten.
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