April 28, 2022

Program holds on to its overall lead in No. 1s and ties for No. 1 in WRs selected since 2000

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State University’s rich NFL Draft history, and specifically its tradition of first-round selections, was on the receiving end of great news Thursday evening as two more Buckeyes – wide receivers Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave – were selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, which is being held along the world famous Strip in Las Vegas.

Wilson, a three-year performer for the Buckeyes who caught 143 passes for 2,213 yards and 23 touchdowns, was selected with the 10th overall pick of the draft by the New York Jets. 

Olave, a team captain in 2021 and who set the school record with 35 touchdown receptions in addition to ranking third in Ohio State history in receptions with 176 and fifth in receiving yards with 2,711, was selected with the very next pick after Wilson went to the Jets, going No. 11 overall in the first round to the New Orleans Saints.

Remarkably, Jamison Williams, who spent two years in the wide receiver room at Ohio State with Wilson and Olave before transferring to Alabama for the 2021 season, was the 12th pick of the draft, by Detroit. 

No. 1 in No. 1s

The All-American duo of Wilson and Olave – each was a first-team All-American this year – are the eighth and ninth Ohio State wide receivers to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Their respective selections keep Ohio State’s all-time lead in overall first-round NFL Draft picks intact. The Buckeyes have 87 first-round draft picks with USC second with 83 and Alabama third with xx.

In addition, Ohio State has now tied LSU for the most wide receivers drafted since 2000 with 22 apiece.

Ohio State WRs Drafted in the First Round

2022 – Garrett Wilson, No. 10 overall to NY Jets

2022 – Chris Olave, No. 11 overall to New Orleans

2007 – Ted Ginn, No. 7 overall to Miami

2007 – Anthony Gonzalez, No. 32 overall to Indianapolis

2006 – Santonio Holmes, No. 25 overall to Pittsburgh

2004 – Michael Jenkins, No. 29 overall to Atlanta

1999 – David Boston, No. 8 overall to Arizona

1996 – Terry Glenn, No. 7 overall to New England

1995 – Joey Galloway, No. 8 overall to Seattle

Most First-Round NFL Draft Picks

All-Time

87 – Ohio State

84 – USC         

76 – Alabama   

70 – Notre Dame                      

67 – Miami

Most WRs Drafted – Since 2000

Source: @PickSixPreviews 

22 – Ohio State

22 – LSU

19 – Florida

18 – USC

16 – Clemson

Most Since 2000

Ohio State continues to set the standard in terms of most NFL Draft picks this century, or since 2000, with 153 total selections. Alabama is second with 139 picks and LSU is third with 134.

Most NFL Draft Picks since 2000

Credit: @PFF_College

153 – Ohio State          

139 – Alabama             

134 – LSU                   

130 – Georgia              

126 – Florida                

123 – Miami

119 – USC                   

115 – Florida State       

106 – Oklahoma

103 – Michigan             

101 – Notre Dame        

Rounds 2 and 3 of the NFL Draft will take place Friday with Rounds 4-7 on Saturday. Start time each day is 7 p.m. Friday and 12 noon on Saturday.

#GoBucks

The People. The Tradition. The Excellence.

COURTESY OSU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS