Rome Odunze, WR Washington: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Odunze was a four-star recruit from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nev. in the class of 2020

Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze emerged as an All-American in 2022. The fourth-year college star projects as a top 60 selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. Another quality season could continue propelling him up draft boards.

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Rome Odunze, WR Washington: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Fourth-year junior wide receiver from Las Vegas, Nev.

Background: Odunze was a four-star recruit from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nev. in the class of 2020. He was the No. 221 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 239 for Rivals, and No. 185 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 294th in the nation with an 80 grade out of 100. Odunze was the Nevada Gatorade Player of the Year and the MaxPreps Nevada Player of the Year as a senior in 2019 when he amassed 54 receptions for 1,222 yards and 15 touchdowns over 13 games. As a junior, he totaled 60 receptions for 1,347 yards and 15 touchdowns. That year, Odunze earned First Team All-Southwest League and 4A First Team All-State honors. He finished his career with 121 receptions for 2,699 yards and 31 touchdowns. Odunze also returned 11 punts for two touchdowns and an average of 22.1 yards per return. He was a star on the track team, earning a spot on the 2019 All-State Team. Odunze won the 4A state title in the 200 meters (21.25 seconds) and the 4x100 relay (41.36 seconds). He also finished fourth in the 100 meters as a junior in 2019 with a time of 10.67 seconds. Odunze finished second in the 4A state meet in the 4x200 as a freshman.

Injuries & Off-Field: Dealt with a broken collarbone as a high school sophomore, missed three games in 2021, missed one game in 2022, former youth sports camp counselor with the Special Olympics

Awards: 2022 First Team All-Pac-12, 2022 Third Team All-American

Pros: Experience playing out wide and in the slot, ideal mix of size and muscle, long arms expand his catch radius, extends for poorly placed throws outside his frame, long strider to cover ground quickly, flashes of good speed off the line, fluid lower body, fast feet help with change of direction at the top of the stem, decelerates and gets his hips around quickly on comeback routes, consistent separation on comeback routes, out-and-up sells defenders and creates vertical opportunities, hides in the cornerback’s blind spot when the DB has inside leverage, excellent and finding and sitting in holes in zone coverage, competitive blocker, willing blocker with the physicality to make an impact, even took some H-back snaps in goal line formations

Cons: Only 45 career special teams snaps entering 2022, 11 drops from 2021-22, some body catching, stands straight up entering his release, release package doesn’t scare press corners, early contact will delay or derail his route, vertical separation is minimal, speed doesn’t threaten defenders in off coverage, off-ball cornerbacks can key on his routes because they aren’t threatened vertically, more urgency required early in the route, accidently drifts too far downfield which leads to routes being rounded, must sink hips more at the tops of stems, out-and-up should be sharper, separation vs. man corners is inconsistent, limited YAC threat, not twitchy or sudden, more of a linear than dynamic athlete, isn’t elusive with the ball in his hands, doesn’t break many tackles with physicality, becomes a little disengaged after he finishes running his route, doesn’t consistently work back to the quarterback on broken or extended plays

Overview: Odunze has significant experience playing outside and in the slot. He offers an ideal mix of size and muscle with long arms that expand his catch radius. Odunze extends for poorly placed throws outside his frame. He’s a long strider who covers ground quickly but lacks elite deep speed. The Nevada native has flashes of good speed off the line but generally doesn’t threaten defenders in off coverage. He doesn’t generate significant vertical separation, and off-ball cornerbacks can key on his routes because they aren’t threatened vertically. Odunze’s fluid lower body and fast feet help him change directions at the top of the stem quickly. He decelerates and gets his hips around quickly on comeback routes, which generates consistent separation against man coverage. Odunze stands straight up entering his release and lacks the release package to deter press corners. Early contact will delay or derail his route. He must show more urgency in the route to beat the coverage quicker and give his quarterback a target. Odunze accidentally drifts too far downfield, which leads to his routes being rounded instead of sharp. This provides defensive backs with angles to undercut throws. The All-American must sink his hips more at the tops of his routes. His out-and-up draws defenders downhill, creating space for him to cut downfield for big plays. Odunze hides in the cornerback’s blind spot when the defender has inside leverage, leaving the defender confused and flying blind. He is excellent and finding and sitting in holes in zone coverage but struggles to separate against man coverage. Odunze is more of a linear athlete than a dynamic athlete. This makes him a limited threat after the catch as he lacks the twitch and elusiveness to force missed tackles. He becomes disengaged after he finishes running his route. This results in him sometimes accepting defeat instead of continuously working to generate an option for his quarterback on extended plays. Odunze catches with his body sometimes and has a history of drops. He is a competitive blocker with the physicality to remove defenders from plays.

Overall, Odunze primarily creates separation with his footwork and fluid lower body, but he’s not elite in any single area of his game. As a well-rounded receiver without elite speed, elusiveness, or route running, Odunze is a high-floor, low-ceiling prospect capable of contributing early in his career.

Role & Scheme Fit: Alignment versatile receiver in an 11 or 12 personnel scheme

Round Projection: Mid Second to Early Third

Size: 6'3", 215 lbs. (Unofficial)

Submitted: 07-31-23