The 2024 NFL Draft is absolutely stacked at the WR position, and two of the class’ top receivers — Troy Franklin and Rome Odunze — got to show off their talents in an explosive duel in Week 7. How do they distinguish themselves as prospects?
Rome Odunze and Troy Franklin Shine in Week 7 Battle
We expected fireworks in the Oregon-Washington Pac-12 standoff, and we got it. The Huskies ended up getting the win in a close 36-33 contest, but Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix went back and forth until the very end, trading blows in an offensive showcase.
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The stars of the show, of course, were Franklin and Odunze. Both receivers were extraordinary in this outing. Only one team could get the win, but both pass catchers put on a clinic in three phases and showed why they deserve to be in the Round 1 conversation.
Odunze was arguably the best player on the entire field, on both sides of the ball. He caught eight passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns, including a go-ahead and eventual game-winning score late in the fourth quarter, where he adjusted perfectly for a back-shoulder throw.
Franklin, meanwhile, caught seven passes for 149 yards and a score on the other side, doing most of his damage on the vertical plane. Franklin isn’t as strong or as composed at as Odunze at the catch point, but he’s an extremely versatile and dynamic weapon with his speed, explosiveness, and flexibility.
More than anything, Odunze and Franklin only proved just how incredible the 2024 NFL Draft WR class is. They’re just two of the top receivers in the class, amongst a group that includes Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, Keon Coleman, Emeka Egbuka, Xavier Worthy, and others.
All of the aforementioned WRs could feasibly command first-round capital, and all could become premier weapons at the NFL level. This contrasts a 2023 NFL Draft WR class that lacked a bona fide WR1 and didn’t have a WR selected until the 20th pick.
The 2024 NFL Draft class is incredibly strong and also incredibly diverse in terms of skill sets. Harrison Jr. and Coleman also thrived in Week 7, but it was the side-by-side performances of Franklin and Odunze that truly put the group under the spotlight.