Former Washington WR Rome Odunze entered the pre-draft process as one of the three top players at his position.
Typically, players will participate in the NFL Combine to boost their draft stock, but in some instances, their athletic testing could disappoint teams.
In the case of Odunze, however, he used the NFL Combine as an opportunity to solidify his place as an elite wide receiver prospect and a player well deserving of going in the top 10 in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Rome Odunze’s Impressive NFL Combine Performance
The former Washington star receiver is, at worst, expected to be the third receiver off the board, and there are some teams who may prefer him to Malik Nabers.
MORE: Top WRs in the 2024 NFL Draft
Odunze is looked at as an extremely polished receiver, but he showed at the NFL Combine that he is more than just that.
How Fast Is Odunze?
Odunze ran a 4.45-second 40-yard dash at the 2024 NFL Combine. That time was in the 69th percentile among wide receivers, which means that time is well above average.
4.47u for @RomeOdunze on his first try.
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/IGyJEUjXMp— NFL (@NFL) March 2, 2024
For a receiver that stands at 6’3” and 215 pounds like Odunze, that is a very impressive time.
How Old Is Odunze?
Odunze enters the NFL as a younger prospect despite the fact that he played four seasons at Washington.
The former Huskies star is 21 years old and will turn 22 just over a month after the 2024 NFL Draft.
Odunze’s Latest Scouting Report
When looking at Odunze as a prospect, there are very few negatives with his game. He is a terrific athlete who is an outstanding route runner. He is as good as any receiver in this class at going up and catching the contested pass.
Off the field, Odunze is a high character guy who goes about his craft in a professional manner.
Pro Football Network draft analyst Ian Cummings is extremely high on Odunze, saying he has one of the best draft profiles for a receiver in years.
“Odunze’s profile is one of the most complete to hit the circuit in recent years,” Cummings said. “Listed at 6’3″, 215 pounds, Odunze has all of the necessary athletic components — explosiveness, speed, fluidity, agility — and he compounds that physical foundation with rare catching instincts and budding route running nuance.”
KEEP READING: Ian Cummings’ Full Scouting Report of Rome Odunze
Odunze paired with Michael Penix Jr. the past two years, and they took over the college football world.
In just two seasons with Penix, Odunze had 167 catches for 2,785 yards and 20 touchdowns.
The routes and offense that Odunze played in will help him be ready for the next level, and whatever team gets him has a guy who will be ready to play right now.
Why Did Odunze Run the 40-Yard Dash at the NFL Combine?
There were a lot of top prospects this year who didn’t run at the NFL Combine. Guys like Marvin Harrison Jr., Brock Bowers, and Caleb Williams barely participated in any capacity.
For someone like Odunze, there truly isn’t a ton to gain at the NFL Combine. His draft stock is pretty much set, and all he could honestly do is hurt his stock.
The one positive it did show, though, is that Odunze is a gamer and that he loves to compete. He went out there, knowing he didn’t truly need to, and competed, showing the work ethic that could make him great.
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