Getty Chris Olave scores a touchdown for Ohio State in 2021.
The Detroit Lions have several major needs to address this offseason as they reshape their roster for 2022, and the debate early on has centered around what the biggest need will be for the team.
Many see that spot as the position of wide receiver, with the Lions plenty thin at the position which was a big reason for struggle in 2021 during the year. As a result of that, many believe the best move for the team to make is to target a pass catcher early in the draft.
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Without such a player early on, most figure the Lions will need to wait until their second first-round selection to make a move. In a new mock from The Athletic and draft expert Dane Brugler, they do just that with an established name that Lions fans will know well. The mock has the Lions picking up Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson with the second-overall selection
Where things get interesting, though, is with pick 28. Brugler sends the Lions Ohio State wideout Chris Olave. Wideout has been a common spot to mock to the Lions at this point, but this is the first time Olave’s name has come u in the discussion. As Brugler says, Olave would represent an immediate playmaker for Detroit and an offense in need of them. He would also help re-ignite the Ohio State and Michigan rivalry in the Detroit locker room when combined with Hutchinson.
Brugler contends he doesn’t think the Lions will be desperate to pick a wideout at this spot in the draft, but if a player like Olave was there for them, it could be enticing. That’s a good take considering how badly the team seemed to need a weapon at times this year.
Olave’s Stats & Highlights
The Buckeyes pass catcher was a dynamo and the kind of player that could always be depended on for a big play down the field. During his time with Ohio State, Olave has been a monster on the field with 2,702 yards and 35 total touchdowns. The numbers paint a picture of how dominant Olave has been, but the video shows a dynamic talent that is a threat to score every time he touches the ball:
Olave was a first-team All-Big Ten award winner in 2020 and 2021, proving how he is finishing his collegiate career in strong fashion.
Lions Wide Receiver Group Needs Boost
It’s safe to say a potential move to add Olave or another wideout to the mix would be much appreciated by the team’s offense. The Lions struggled early in the season to develop any playmakers, but fortunately, that would come later on. The headliner with this was rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown. He caught the game-winning score in Week 13 and was consistent in the second half overall and down the stretch. He impressed by setting the new rookie receiving yardage record for the Lions after a huge final month of the year.
In addition to St. Brown, the Lions have seen Kalif Raymond continue to be a force, and since signing off waivers, Josh Reynolds has become a major difference-maker for the team and a player who could be in the mix for a consistent role moving forward in Detroit. Add in the development of Trinity Benson and KhaDarel Hodge and the Lions do have some youngsters capable of making plays at the spot providing they continue to grow and develop with the return of Quintez Cephus in 2022.
Even though this is the case, the Lions do need playmakers and that’s just what Brugler seems to understand getting them Olave within this mock.
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