The Pittsburgh Steelers made a trip to the West Coast this offseason to scout the University of Washington Pro Day. Most assumed the team was there to scout OT Troy Fautanu. The Steelers certainly could stand to upgrade the offensive line. But what if they were there to get more time with another offensive player? What if WR Rome Odunze is the primary target?
That’s what Brian Blewis of Pro Football Network seems to think. He put out his latest mock draft on Thursday, and he had the Steelers trading up more than 10 spots in the first round for Odunze.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers have become a much more active team in the trade market under GM Omar Khan than in years past,” Blewis wrote. “And they make an aggressive move here to draft Rome Odunze. After trading away Diontae Johnson, the Steelers created a big hole at the wide receiver position opposite George Pickens. They added Van Jefferson and Quez Watkins in free agency, but neither player moves the needle for them by any means.”
There is no question that the Steelers have a need for a playmaking wide receiver opposite Pickens. Odunze would certainly fit the bill with 214 catches for 3,272 yards and 24 touchdowns (along with two rushing touchdowns and a punt return touchdown) during his Washington career. This would not be an entirely unexpected marriage, either. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that the Steelers met with Odunze at the NFL Scouting Combine earlier this offseason.
Ross McCorkle took a look at Odunze for Steelers Depot and projects him as a top-10 pick in the draft with a pro comparison of Tee Higgins.
McCorkle’s assessment matches Blewis’ in terms of where the Steelers needed to trade up to in order to secure Odunze. In Blewis’ mock draft, he had the Steelers trade up with the Chicago Bears for the ninth overall pick. The Steelers parted with the 20th, 51st, and 84th overall picks to make the trade.
That move would leave the Steelers without any more picks until the 98th overall pick in the latter part of the third round. That’s a whole lot of draft capital to give up especially considering the needs at offensive line and cornerback.
Also of note, it would mean a third trade between the Bears and the Steelers in less than two calendar years. The Steelers traded WR Chase Claypool to the Bears in November of 2022 for a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Then in March of this year, the Steelers acquired QB Justin Fields from the Bears for a conditional 2025 sixth-round draft pick.
Is Odunze worth giving up two extra picks? What about not being able to address other primary areas of need? That remains to be seen. However, Odunze is one of the best wide receivers in the draft. The Steelers’ wide receiver room certainly would not rank among the bottom five rooms in the league at that point.
