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Rome Odunze NFL Draft 2024: Scouting Report for Chicago Bears WR

BR NFL Scouting Department

HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 212

HAND: 9¼"

ARM: 32¼"

WINGSPAN: 76¾"

40-YARD DASH: 4.45

3-CONE: 6.88

SHUTTLE: 4.03

VERTICAL: 39"

BROAD: 10'4"

POSITIVES

— Great size and strength for the position. Sturdy, rocked-up build.

— Good fluidity and change of direction. Easy mover.

— Very good route-runner. Polished player who uses length and strength effectively to separate.

— Great ball skills and catch radius. Very consistent ball tracking. Excels in contested catch situations.

— Flashes of physical YAC ability. Strong player with a good feel for space.

NEGATIVES

— Average long speed.

— Average explosiveness. Doesn't really pop at the top of routes or when he has the ball.

2023 STATISTICS

— 14 G, 87 REC, 1,553 YDS (17.9 AVG), 13 TD; 2 ATT, 37 YDS, 1 TD

NOTES

— Born June 3, 2002

— 4-star recruit in 2020 class, per 247Sports

— Three-year starter.

— 2022 first-team All-Pac-12; 2022 third-team All-American

OVERALL

Rome Odunze is a big-bodied receiver who specializes at winning the ball in the air.

Odunze's contested catch ability is his calling card. At 6'3" and 215 pounds, he has both the length and strength to outmuscle defensive backs for the ball with great consistency.

It's not just the physical traits, though. Odunze tracks the ball beautifully and understands how to attack the ball at its highest point. He also has the flexibility and quick reaction skills to adjust to any throw, giving him a very quarterback-friendly catch radius.

Odunze is a smooth mover for his size, too. He doesn't have impressive speed or explosiveness, but he doesn't lumber at all. Odunze plays with solid, consistent speed, and he changes direction rather effortlessly for a player his size. When combined with how well he uses his length and strength as a route-runner, he consistently finds ways to get open.

You also see how smart a receiver Odunze is in the way he runs his routes. Odunze does an excellent job manipulating leverage versus man coverage, as well as negotiating space versus zone coverages. Odunze has a way of understanding where the weak points are and how to get himself there efficiently.

Where Odunze falls short is explosive ability. Though he's a strong contested-catch weapon down the field, Odunze isn't really a burner. His speed on film is average. He has enough to get it done; no more and no less.

Odunze also doesn't have much pop when changing directions. His flexibility allows him to smoothly turn and not lose speed, but he doesn't really explode out of breaks. That could be an issue versus smarter, quicker DBs.

Odunze is a quarterback's best friend. He's a reliable route-runner with good size and an accuracy-erasing catch radius. Odunze can be a classic X receiver who moonlights as a slot receiver from time to time thanks to his awareness and ability to play in traffic.

GRADE: 8.9 (Impact Player — 1st Round)

OVERALL RANK: 6

POSITION RANK: WR2

PRO COMPARISON: Shades of Davante Adams

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.

   

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