2024 Exclusive Sneak Peek: Rome Odunze, WR Washington
Welcome to the Exclusive Sneak Peek: Rome Odunze, a Wide Receiver from the University of Washington. He is from Las Vegas, Nevada, and was a 4-star recruit out of Bishop Gorman High School.
During his Freshman year, Rome played in only 4 games and made 6 catches for a total of 72 yards. According to NCAA rules, players can only participate in a maximum of 4 games if they want to take a redshirt year. Washington decided to redshirt Odunze to preserve his year of eligibility.
During his first year as a redshirt freshman, Odunze demonstrated some of the potential that made him a highly touted prospect. He recorded 41 receptions, 415 receiving yards, and four touchdowns in nine games, leading the Huskies in receptions. This was a positive development for Odunze and a step in the right direction.
In 2022, Kalen DeBoer took over the program, greatly benefiting Odunze. He managed to double his total from the previous year, finishing with 72 receptions, 1,145 yards, and 7 touchdowns. This helped him make a name for himself and catch the attention of NFL scouts.
As a redshirt junior, Rome Odunze raised his game to a whole new level. He led all of college football in receiving yards with 1,640 yards and 92 receptions, scoring 13 touchdowns in total for the year. Odunze’s performance firmly established him as one of the top players in college football. He dominated on a national stage during the college football playoffs, putting up an impressive 11 receptions and 211 yards against both Texas and Michigan.
Odunze finished his Husky career second all-time in receptions and receiving yards.
Measurables
NCAA Statistics
| Receiving | Rushing | Scrimmage | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Plays | Yds | Avg | TD |
| 2020 | Washington | Pac-12 | FR | WR | 4 | 6 | 72 | 12.0 | 0 | 3 | -16 | -5.3 | 0 | 9 | 56 | 6.2 | 0 |
| 2021 | Washington | Pac-12 | FR | WR | 9 | 41 | 415 | 10.1 | 4 | 2 | 13 | 6.5 | 0 | 43 | 428 | 10.0 | 4 |
| *2022 | Washington | Pac-12 | SO | 12 | 75 | 1145 | 15.3 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 2.0 | 1 | 78 | 1151 | 14.8 | 8 | |
| *2023 | Washington | Pac-12 | JR | WR | 15 | 92 | 1640 | 17.8 | 13 | 2 | 37 | 18.5 | 1 | 94 | 1677 | 17.8 | 14 |
| Career | Washington | 214 | 3272 | 15.3 | 24 | 10 | 40 | 4.0 | 2 | 224 | 3312 | 14.8 | 26 | ||||
Scouting Reports
Strengths
- Ideal prototypical NFL combination of size and speed at the WR position.
- Silky smooth operator Odunze has a rare ability to navigate breaks while running routes, making it a joy to watch.
- He displays excellent body control and is an extremely fluid athlete, which allows him to play all over the field. He is a pro-ready NFL wide receiver.
- Having a larger wingspan than most wide receivers makes him a valuable asset for quarterbacks, increasing the catch radius.
- His exceptional ball-tracking skills and lightning-fast reflexes enable him to catch a football at the last moment.
- Odunze is a top-notch athlete. He uses long strides to gain an advantage over defenders and pull away from them.
Weaknesses
- While displaying high-end ability in and out of breaks, there are inconsistencies that need to be resolved to make it a true strength.
- He needs to improve his ability to break free from press coverage from time to time, as big physical corners can give him issues.
- Odunze’s size and speed are impressive, but his lack of Yards After Contact is surprising.
- Odunze would be an excellent addition to Wilson, especially with Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback.
Pre-Draft Analysis
Expected Draft Capital: Top 15 Overall
Ideal Landing Spot: New York Jets
Much like the other teams selecting wide receiver in the top half of the first round, the New York Jets need a Robin to Garett Wilson’s Batman. Odunze would be an excellent addition to Wilson, especially with Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback.
The retirement of Corey Davis has exposed the Jets’ lack of depth in skill positions outside of Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall. The second-best receiver on the team had only 311 yards throughout the season. Therefore, the offense is in dire need of another valuable weapon in the passing game. A combination of Wilson and Odunze could prove to be a lethal duo for New York.
Odunze possesses a unique combination of size, speed, and technical ability that few wide receivers have. His potential to be a high-end difference-maker at the position is sky-high.
Post-Draft Analysis
Pick 1.09 to the Chicago Bears
Odunze
Check out The Fantasy Football Universe video breakdown of Rome Odunze below.
