Rome Odunze

Rome Odunze
refer to caption
Odunze in 2024
No. 15 – Chicago Bears
Position:Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (2002-06-03) June 3, 2002 (age 22)
Orem, Utah, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:212 lb (96 kg)
Career information
High school:Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
College:Washington (2020–2023)
NFL draft:2024 / round: 1 / pick: 9
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 8, 2024
Receptions:20
Receiving yards:287
Receiving touchdowns:1
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Rome Odunze (born June 3, 2002) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Washington Huskies, where he was a consensus All-American and runner-up for the national championship in 2023. Odunze was selected by the Bears ninth overall in the 2024 NFL draft.

Early life and high school

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Odunze was born on June 3, 2002, in Orem, Utah, later moving to Las Vegas, Nevada, when he was three.[1] He attended Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, where he was named the state's Gatorade Football Player of the Year as a senior in 2019 after recording 54 catches for 1,222 yards and 15 touchdowns.[2][3] For his career, he had 121 receptions for 2,699 yards and 31 touchdowns. Odunze committed to the University of Washington to play college football.[4][5]

College career

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As a true freshman at Washington in 2020, Odunze played in four games and had six receptions for 72 yards. As a sophomore in 2021, he started seven of nine games, recording 41 receptions for 415 yards and four touchdowns.[6][7] He returned to Washington as a starter in 2022.[8]

As a junior in 2022, Odunze led the team in receiving yards with 1,145, the fifth-most in single-season history for Washington. He had six games going over the 100-yard mark and three games going over 150 yards.[9] He also led the Pac-12 in receiving yards and was second in receptions per game.[10][11]

On September 30, 2023, Odunze recovered an onside kick from University of Arizona kicker Tyler Loop and absorbed a hit from safety Dalton Johnson.[12] He revealed later in the season that he had suffered a broken rib and punctured lung on the play.[13] Despite the injury, Odunze played in all 15 games, which included two playoff games, and recorded 92 receptions for 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns.[14] He had ten games with over 100 receiving yards on the season. He led the NCAA in receiving yards and the Pac-12 in receptions for 2023.[15][16] He was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award.[17] Odunze declared for the 2024 NFL draft following Washington's loss in the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship.[18]

Statistics

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Washington Huskies
Season Games Receiving Rushing Punt returns
GP GS Rec Yards Avg TD Att Yards Avg TD Ret Yards Avg TD
2020 4 1 6 72 12.0 0 3 -16 -5.3 0 0 0 0.0 0
2021 9 7 41 415 10.1 4 2 13 6.5 0 0 0 0.0 0
2022 12 8 75 1,145 15.3 7 3 6 2.0 1 1 0 0.0 0
2023 15 14 92 1,640 17.8 13 2 37 18.5 1 2 87 43.5 1
Career 40 30 214 3,272 15.3 24 10 40 18.5 2 3 87 29.0 1

Professional career

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Odunze in August 2024
Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump
6 ft 2+7⁄8 in
(1.90 m) 		212 lb
(96 kg) 		32+1⁄4 in
(0.82 m) 		9+1⁄4 in
(0.23 m)		 4.45 s 1.52 s 2.57 s 4.03 s 6.88 s 39.0 in
(0.99 m)		 10 ft 4 in
(3.15 m)
All values from NFL Combine[19][20]

Odunze was selected by the Chicago Bears ninth overall in the 2024 NFL draft.[21] On July 16, 2024, Odunze signed his four-year rookie contract with the Bears worth $22.7 million.[22] Odunze scored his first career touchdown with a 1 yard receiving touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts. In that game, Odunze caught 6 passes for 112 yards and a TD in the Bears' 21–16 loss.

NFL career statistics

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Year Team Games Receiving Fumbles
GP GS Tgt Rec Yds Avg Lng TD Fum Lost
2024 CHI 6 4 31 17 246 14.5 47 1 1 0
Career 6 4 31 17 246 14.5 47 1 1 0

References

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  1. ^ Brugler, Dane. "The Beast: 2024 NFL Draft Guide" (PDF). The Athletic. p. 54. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  2. ^ Gordon, Sam (October 31, 2018). "Notes: Wide receiver Rome Odunze breaks out for Bishop Gorman". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  3. ^ Orts, Jason (December 7, 2019). "Bishop Gorman's Rome Odunze named Gatorade player of year". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  4. ^ Vorel, Mike (August 12, 2019). "Rome Odunze, another prized four-star wideout, verbally commits to Washington". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  5. ^ Smith, Cam (August 13, 2019). "Bishop Goman (Nev.) 4-star WR Rome Odunze commits to Washington". USA TODAY High School Sports. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  6. ^ Caple, Christian (April 15, 2022). "Rome Odunze's re-recruitment: 'The only thing you're going to see is success'". The Athletic. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  7. ^ Vorel, Mike (October 19, 2021). "When adversity hit, rising UW Huskies wide receiver Rome Odunze hit back". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  8. ^ Raley, Dan (July 28, 2022). "Time to Pull the Wraps Off Odunze and Let Him Flourish". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  9. ^ "Rome Odunze 2022 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  10. ^ "Rome Odunze - Football - University of Washington". Washington Huskies Athletics. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  11. ^ "2022 Pac-12 Leaders". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  12. ^ Pedersen, Brian J. (September 30, 2023). "Arizona football hangs with No. 7 Washington but can't pull upset before Family Weekend sellout". Arizona Desert Swarm. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  13. ^ Vorel, Mike (December 13, 2023). "UW's Rome Odunze suffered broken rib, punctured lung in September". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  14. ^ "Rome Odunze 2023 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  15. ^ "2023 College Football Leaders". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  16. ^ "2023 Pac-12 Leaders". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  17. ^ Raley, Dan (November 29, 2023). "UW's Odunze Among 3 Finalists Reaching for Biletnikoff Award". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  18. ^ Lantz, Shane (January 12, 2024). "UW football stars Rome Odunze and Dillon Johnson declare for NFL draft". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  19. ^ "Rome Odunze Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  20. ^ "2024 NFL Draft Scout Rome Odunze College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  21. ^ Yamashita, Andy (April 25, 2024). "UW's Rome Odunze selected by the Bears at No. 9 in NFL draft". Seattle Times. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  22. ^ Mayer, Larry (July 16, 2024). "Roster Move: Bears sign WR Rome Odunze to rookie deal". ChicagoBears.com. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
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