Rome Odunze NFL Draft Overview
Adding a great wide receiver to your team through the draft can change your offense overnight. Rome Odunze is the next great WR prospect your favorite team should not pass up on. The former 4-star recruit committed to Washington and dominated the PAC 12 with his elite skill set. After being a role player his first two years, under Penix Jr at QB Odunze exploded to greatness. In his first season with Penix Jr., Odunze produced 76 catches for 1,145 yards and seven touchdowns in 2022. Odunze forgo the 2023 draft for a chance at a championship and went bonkers, producing 87 catches, 1640 yards, and 13 touchdowns. Odunze was awarded consensus All-American and first-team All-Pac 12. However, is Rome Odunze the next great wide receiver in the NFL? Let’s dig into the film!
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6’3 (Unofficial)
Weight: 215 (Unofficial)
Age: 21 years old
School: Washington
Rome Odunze Player Evaluation
Odunze’s Strengths
- Elite contested catching ability. Elite ball skills and catch radius. Will be a QB best friend day 1
- He has great size, speed, strength, and hand combination, which are number one WR traits.
- Great on-field awareness when facing zone coverage.
- He has a fantastic feel and the ability to exploit zone coverage.
- He’s a good route runner for his size from inside and outside receiver spots.
- Routinely gets separation. Master of the slot fade.
- He is a solid YAC threat that’s elusive in space. He is a very fluid mover for his size.
Odunze’s Weakness
- Sometimes, he uses his body to catch balls, causing some drop issues.
- He has above-average top-end speed.
- He doesn’t have elite burning speed.
- He can polish his releases to get off-press.
Projection: Top 10 Pick
NFL Comparison: Miles Austin
Best Fits: Chicago Bears, New York Giants, and Los Angeles Chargers.
Bottom Line
Rome Odunze is the man for the job for teams needing an elite number-one wide receiver. He has elite hands, great size, strength, and catch radius. Odunze’s high football IQ shows when he picks apart zone coverage, and his fearlessness shows in contested catch dominance. Although Odunze does not have elite speed, he has good speed for a wide range of his size and skill set. I project Rome Odunze as a future NFL number one wide receiver with an All-Pro upside.
Main Photo: Junfu Han-USA TODAY NETWORK
