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Rome Odunze later revealed that he played the previous Washington Huskies season with a punctured lung and a broken rib. He acquired those injuries when Arizona Wildcats safety Dalton Johnson tackled him after an onside kick recovery during their September 2023 game.
Despite that concern, Odunze had his best season with the Huskies, tallying 1,428 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. While their campaign ended with a loss to Michigan in the National Championship Game, the 2023 Consensus All-American proved that he is ready to jump to the NFL.
Rome Odunze's scouting report in the spotlight
There are a few knocks to Odunze’s game, especially his speed. While he can accelerate to run his routes, he doesn’t have top-notch speed to create constant separation from defenders. Likewise, his releases may have some delays due to his footwork.
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Other than those observations, Rome Odunze is among the best wide receiver prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. His speed might be suspect, but his long strides leave defensive backs behind. He uses his size and height well to fight for contested or highly-thrown balls within his spacious catch radius.
Odunze’s route running is impressive, thanks to his shifty motion that helps create enough separation. His outstanding ball-tracking skills allow him to go full speed with his routes while keeping his focus on the ball. The wideout from Las Vegas is also adept at finding the soft spots in any defensive formation.
His strength allows him to fight for extra yards after completing a catch. More importantly, he knows whether to attack or wait for the ball based on his awareness. Finally, Rome Odunze welcomes being a blocker during rushing plays, creating gaps for his running backs to burst through.
NFL Draft expert Tony Pauline's scouting report on Odunze reads:
"Large, skilled receiver coming off an outstanding season. Sells routes, uses his hands to separate from defenders and comes back to the football. Sturdy, protects the ball and takes a big hit yet holds onto the pass."
Pauline has Odunze ranked as the eighth-best player in the 2024 NFL Draft class on his big board of prospects.
Rome Odunze draft projection: Best fits for Washington WR
Odunze is an exceptional talent who could walk down the 2024 NFL Draft stage from mid-first to early second rounds. Here are three teams where he could shine the most:
1] New York Giants
The Giants cannot back out from Daniel Jones’ contract. Instead, they must give him more weapons, and Odunze is a great fit. Kenny Golladay, Darius Slayton, and Darren Waller all failed, depriving the Giants of a legitimate top receiver. Odunze can right those wrongs.
2] Los Angeles Chargers
Keenan Allen opted to sign with the Chicago Bears in free agency while Mike Williams picked Aaron Rodgers' Jets for 2024. Likewise, Quentin Johnston hasn’t lived up to expectations (for now). Jim Harbaugh has seen how Odunze competes, and he can build on his skill set. This could be a home run pick.
3] Chicago Bears
While the Bears have DJ Moore, he’s not a big target who could be an asset in third-down or red-zone situations. Drafting Rome Odunze also adds another asset to their wide receiver depth chart, regardless of who their starting quarterback will be.
