Ohio State WR Chris Olave runs mad dash at NFL Combine

Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave ran his 40-yard dash time in under 4.4 seconds at the NFL Combine on Thursday.

Ohio State WR Chris Olave ran a 4.26u in the 40 😳

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/02Ujkq0ckj

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 4, 2022

After the smoke settled from the flaming run, the wideout’s official 40-time was 4.39.

However, Olave’s electric pace wasn’t the fastest at the combine on Thursday. That feat belonged to Baylor wide receiver Tyquan Thornton after he ran a 4.28.

Olave has been widely projected to be picked by the Arizona Cardinals with the No. 23 overall pick in 2022 NFL mock drafts collected by ArizonaSports.com.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper is the latest pundit to pick the Ohio State WR as the player the Cardinals will take with their first-round selection in April’s draft.

Sure, Arizona spent a second-round pick on Rondale Moore a year ago, but he’s more of a slot receiver who could be used in the run game, too. He averaged a staggeringly low 8.1 yards per catch on his 54 receptions, producing just 18 first downs. … Olave can line up outside and run crisp routes to beat cornerbacks. He had 35 career touchdowns for the Buckeyes. This would be a selection to try to make Kyler Murray a little happier heading into an important season.

In 11 games at Ohio State last season, Olave reeled in 65 catches for 936 yards and 13 touchdowns to lead all Buckeye pass catchers in scores. He also finished third in receiving yards.

The Cardinals currently have DeAndre Hopkins, Rondale Moore, Greg Dortch and Andy Isabella under contract through next season.

But of the four, only Hopkins and Moore saw extended roles in the passing game last year.

Before going down with a torn MCL, Hopkins recorded 42 catches for 572 yards and eight touchdowns, while Moore caught 54 receptions for 435 yards and a score.

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