Rome Odunze is expected to be one of the top overall picks of this year’s draft. The standout WR made a big splash in Washington’s climb to the top as he led the team in receiving yards in the Pac-12 Championship and the Sugar Bowl. Odunze hit the 1000-receiving yard mark in 2022 with 1,145 yards, and stepped it up in 2023 to finish his final college season with 1,640 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Odunze was a consensus All-American in 2023.
Rome Odunze: Scouting Report
Odunze is considered to be one of the best receivers in a very strong draft class, and will be selected among peers like LSU’s Malik Nabers and OSU’s Marvin Harrison. Odunze measures in at 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds — a good frame for a NFL receiver. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein highlights Odunze’s speed and ball skills:
A team captain with good size and elite ball skills, Odunze consistently dominated his competition. While most receivers look to open separation windows with speed or route running, Odunze seems to relish jump balls and contested catches. He shines in all aspects of ball skills, including positioning, body control, hand strength, timing and mid-air adjustments. He has a tendency to cruise through routes rather than working with attention to detail and pacing. He was a decorated high school sprinter, so speed should not be an issue in the pros. He’s a high-volume target on the next level that play-callers can utilize to mismatch finesse cornerbacks. Elite ball skills are often the secret sauce for top NFL receivers, so it should not surprise if Odunze is a Day 1 starter who becomes a top-flight WR1.
Mock Draft landing spots
Mel Kiper has Odunze landing with the Chicago Bears at No. 9 overall to pair with their likely No. 1 pick, USC’s Caleb Williams. The Ringer’s Danny Kelly projects the Colts to offer a trade with Chicago to take the No. 9 spot, where they also select Odunze, who would be catching passes from Anthony Richardson. The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman doesn’t see him lasting quite that long, and sends the WR to the New York Giants at No. 6 overall.
Fantasy football implications
Odunze should be a top fantasy selection in dynasty league drafts, and could frankly be an early selection in standard 2024 fantasy drafts. He is expected to be put to use immediately as a top-10 pick, and if the Bears or Colts are able to pair their young, bomb-throwing QBs with a receiver that has Odunze’s size and speed, he could quickly become a breakout fantasy star. Snap him up sooner than later.