New Orleans Saints trade up to draft Ohio State WR Chris Olave
In the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints selected Ohio State wide receiver Michael Thomas who went on to break the NFL single season record for receptions with 149 just three years later.
Since that worked out so well the last time, until recently, the Saints barking up that same tree in the first round this year.
Even without Sean Payton in the war room, the Saints trading up, as they often do, to pick Ohio State wideout Chris Olave at number 11 overall.
New Orleans trading their 16th overall pick to the Washington Commanders as well as 98 in the third round and 120 in the fourth in exchange for the highly coveted 11 spot.
The speedy Olave is exactly what the Saints need opposite to Thomas, running a 4.26 40-yard dash with the Buckeyes to go along with his 65 catches for 936 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior.
He’s the first wide receiver the Saints have drafted in the first round since Brandin Cooks in 2014.
Here’s what the Saints did with their 19th overall pick, taking Trevor Penning out of Northern Iowa to fill the need at offensive tackle.
Other notable picks from the first round so far:
Georgia’s Travon Walker going number one overall to the Jaguars.
Sticking with the SEC theme, LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr. going at number three to the Texans.
Mississippi State’s Charles Cross, big time pick up for the Seahawks at 9 to shore up that o-line.
Olave to the Saints at 11 and then capping off the run of wide receivers, Alabama’s Jameson Williams going to the Lions at number 12.
Then another big-time day one trade going down as former Ole Miss wide receiver AJ Brown is on the move from the Titans to the Eagles in exchange for Philly’s number 18 overall pick and another third-round selection.
Brown getting a big pay day as well. Four years, $100 million extension from the Eagles, $57 million of that guaranteed, all according to ESPN.
