2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Washington WR Rome Odunze

From now until the 2024 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, I’ll be profiling Washington WR Rome Odunze.

#1 ROME ODUNZE/WR WASHINGTON – 6027, 212 LBS. (R-JUNIOR)

Combine

MEASUREMENTS

THE GOOD

– Very good length
– Solid change of direction
– Good eyes and body control to adjust to the ball in the air
– Flashes his hands late making it hard for DBs to play the ball
– Solid play strength, able to shed tacklers in the open field
– Strong hands and catch radius
– Solid vision, good at finding yards after the catch
– Good and willing blocker
– Well-developed route tree

THE BAD

– Caps his long speed by looking back too early and turning his shoulders
– Struggles off the line against press coverage
– Slightly light for how tall he is
– Relies on double moves for separation with just adequate acceleration out of his breaks

BIO

– Originally a four-star prospect out of Bishop Gorman HS in Las Vegas, Nev.
– 21 years old, will be 22 in June
– Played in 40 games, starting in 30 of them
– All-State sprinter in high school; champion in 200-meter, 4 x 100 relay, and fourth in the 100-meter with a 10.67-second personal record
– Totaled 214 receptions, 3,272 yards, 15.3 average, 26 total touchdowns
– Received academic honors in 2021, 22, 23
– Returned some kicks and punts in a limited role, returning one for a touchdown
– Consensus All-American in 2023
– Played in national championship game against Michigan in 2023
– Five receptions, 87 yards in national championship game
– Missed just one game in college as a precaution with an undisclosed injury
– Team captain in 2023

TAPE BREAKDOWN

Odunze is a very solid route runner. He showed the ability to run a wide variety of routes at Washington. He is good at identifying soft spots against zone defense. He also has some very effective double moves that he uses to create separation. His acceleration out of the top of his routes isn’t special, but he makes up for it with crisp routes and change of direction.

He also has an innate sense of awareness and his relationship to tacklers when he has the ball in his hands. His vision allows him to find the best spot to attack for extra yards after the catch and he is good at making the first defender miss or shrugging off arm tackles.

When plays break down, Odunze has a good sense of how to adjust his routes and play a bit of backyard football. This will lead to some big plays for him at the next level with the right quarterback who can extend plays well and play outside of structure.

Being a sprinter in high school, he has the long speed to stretch defenses, but he gives up speed at times by looking back for the ball too early and turning his shoulders. That being said, he is good at adjusting to the ball in the air if it is underthrown or back shoulder and his hands are very solid overall.

He is also a willing blocker and his size and length allows him to fit into defenders and latch on with his hands. When he latches on, he can sustain a block for a very long time. He is physical and willing and can be a weapon as a blocker in the run game out on the boundary.

CONCLUSION

Odunze has everything he needs to be a starting wide receiver at the next level. I think his 40-yard dash time at the combine will be better than his play speed sometimes suggests, and if it is he will be a lock to be one of the top two or three receivers off the board. He has the traits, was productive in college, served as a team captain, and has plenty of tape against top competition. My pro comparison for him is Tee Higgins.

Projection: Top-10 Pick
Depot Draft Grade: 9.2 – Pro-Bowl Talent/Day One Starter (Top-10 Pick)
Games Watched: at Michigan (2023), at Michigan State (2023), at Arizona (2023)