The 2023 season went a long way toward completing the 2024 NFL Draft scouting report of Washington WR Rome Odunze. In light of his historic production, where does Odunze rank in the 2024 WR class, and what is his projection at the NFL level?
Rome Odunze Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 6’3″
- Weight: 215
- Position: Wide Receiver
- School: Washington
- Current Year: Redshirt Junior
After racking up 75 catches for 1,145 yards and seven touchdowns in 2022, Odunze had a case to declare for the 2023 NFL Draft, and he very well could have been WR1. But Odunze chose to return to school, gamble on himself, and gamble on the Washington program — and that choice paid off.
Washington WR Rome Odunze compares himself to Davante Adams. 👀 pic.twitter.com/V8ustUaeJ6
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) March 1, 2024
Returning to a Huskies attack that included himself, Michael Penix Jr., Ja’Lynn Polk, and Jalen McMillan, Odunze took a massive step toward his ceiling as a dominating offensive force. In the lead-up to the CFB National Championship game, Odunze caught 87 passes for 1,553 yards and 13 touchdowns.
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Not only was Odunze a Biletnikoff Award finalist alongside Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers, but he also earned All-American recognition and first-team All-Pac-12 honors.
In just four years, the former four-star recruit has morphed into a true WR1 at the collegiate level, and there isn’t much room for him to keep rising on the stage. The NFL, however, awaits with open arms.
Rome Odunze Scouting Report
Strengths
- Elite athlete with a streamlined frame who carries his mass with effortless ease.
- Has the long-strider burst and speed to rocket up the field and stack without strain.
- Versatile RAC weapon with high-end agility who can slither through congestion.
- Hyper-elite size-adjusted flexibility amounts to unmatched route running upside.
- Able to effortlessly stack direction changes and hip sinks on multi-layered routes.
- Greatly improved his route tempo and versatility in 2023, building on his foundation.
- Glides out of breaks on double-moves and can send defenders reeling with head fakes.
- Can use sudden jab-steps and head fakes in tandem to bait DBs and create space.
- Has impressive targeted physicality and can compound separation at stems with swipes.
- Acrobatic catcher with incredible body control and gravity-defying boundary instincts.
- Has spectacular ball-tracking ability and focus while working vertically with his speed.
- Masterfully uses late hands to dictate timing at the catch point and control leverage.
- With his situational awareness, can proactively attack the ball or let it come to him.
- Can use his frame to box out defenders in 50-50 situations and over the middle.
- Assignment-sound and tenacious run blocker who can drive defenders out of lanes.
Weaknesses
- Might be lighter than his listed weight and lacks high-end play strength after the catch.
- Long speed, while exceptional, may be a notch below the elite mark.
- Lacks elite play strength amidst contact and can be delayed at stems by physicality.
- Sometimes struggles to fight through two-handed jams in the contact window.
- Can improve his footwork efficiency on releases, sometimes experiencing delays upfield.
- Can still be more consistent with weight distribution on whip routes and lateral breaks.
- At times, can be more deliberate pressing into stems and snapping back downfield.
- Very occasionally, resorts to body-catching on lower throws, which can source drops.
- Has lean, grating strength after the catch but doesn’t have great contact balance.
Current Draft Projection and Summary
Rome Odunze grades out as a top-15 and early-to-mid first-round prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft and is arguably a top-three WR prospect with Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers. He’s worthy of top-ten capital for a WR-needy team and has the tools to change an NFL offense.
MORE: 2024 NFL Draft Big Board
Odunze’s profile is one of the most complete to hit the circuit in recent years. 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.
Over the course of his breakout 2023 campaign, Odunze displayed incredible upside across the three-level threat framework. Overall, he’s a versatile weapon with usage flexibility and dynamic RAC value, but he also has the operational utility to produce on day one in the NFL.
As a route runner, Odunze flashes exceptional spatial awareness, hinge fluidity, freedom of motion, manipulation ability, and throttle control. And as a catcher, he’s an elite instinctive force with an awe-inspiring blend of patience, ball-tracking ability, and coordination.
Ultimately, any knocks on Odunze amount to minor nitpicking. He might not be as heavy as listed, and he’s not infallible working against contact. Additionally, there are some aspects of route running and release work where he can still keep building.
Nevertheless, Odunze has a high degree of size, athleticism, catch-point authority, and independent separation ability, which he can use to be an impact X or movement-Z receiver right out of the gate in the NFL — with a Pro Bowl and All-Pro ceiling.
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