The Ohio State Buckeyes will be without two top wide receivers when they play the Utah Utes in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. First, potential top-10 pick Garrett Wilson announced that he would be skipping the game and entering the 2022 NFL Draft, Then, fellow wideout Chris Olave announced the same thing.
Here's Olave's heartfelt announcement from Monday night:
Thank You Buckeye Nation, Love Forever! ❤️🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/Bck0Sya5gs
— Chris Olave (@chrisolave_) December 28, 2021
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Olave and Wilson were part of an elite trio of Ohio State wide receivers this season. Olave led the Buckeyes with 13 touchdowns receptions while catching 65 passes for 936 yards. Wilson caught 70 passes for 1,058 yards and 12 scores. Jaxon Smith-Njigba led Ohio State with 80 catches and 1,259 yards while also hauling in six touchdowns.
Wilson is viewed as the better NFL prospect, with a variety of mocks having him close to the top 10. Olave could go in the first round as well.
In addition to Wilson and Olave, the Buckeyes will be without Haskell Garrett and Nicholas Petit-Frere in the Rose Bowl.
Ohio State is 10-2 this season. The Buckeyes bounced back from an early loss to Oregon and had a chance to be in the Big Ten Championship Game and perhaps even the College Football Playoff, but they got smoked by Michigan this time around. So, Ohio State had to settle for a measly Rose Bowl appearance.
It's a bummer that Wilson and Olave won't be participating in the Rose Bowl, but more and more top players are skipping bowl games in order to protect themselves from injury ahead of the NFL Draft. It's an understandable decision to make when you're not playing for the CFP.
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