Rome Odunze

Last updated

Rome Odunze
2024-0106-Rome Odunze.jpg
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 14, 2024
Receptions:45
Receiving yards:585
Receiving touchdowns:3
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.

Contents

Early life

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

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

Washington Huskies
SeasonGamesReceivingRushingPunt returns
GPGSRecYardsAvgTDAttYardsAvgTDRetYardsAvgTD
2020 4167212.003-16-5.30000.00
2021 974141510.142136.50000.00
2022 128751,14515.37362.01100.00
2023 1514921,64017.81323718.5128743.51
Career 40302143,27215.324104018.5238729.01

Professional career

Odunze in August 2024 RomeOdunze-Bears-USMC-2024.png
Odunze in August 2024
Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-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 s1.52 s2.57 s4.03 s6.88 s39.0 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

YearTeamGamesReceivingFumbles
GPGSTgtRecYdsAvgLngTDFumLost
2024 CHI 139814558513.047310
Career 139814558513.047310

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reggie Williams (wide receiver)</span> American gridiron football player (born 1983)

Reginald Williams Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Washington Huskies, earning consensus All-American honors in 2002. He was selected by Jacksonville in the first round of the 2004 NFL draft, and played five seasons for the team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jermaine Kearse</span> American football player and coach (born 1990)

Jermaine Levan Kearse is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Washington Huskies. Kearse was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2012 and later won Super Bowl XLVIII with the team, beating the Denver Broncos. After five seasons with the Seahawks, Kearse played two more seasons for the New York Jets from 2017 to 2018. In 2019, he joined the Detroit Lions, but missed the entire season due to injury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austin Seferian-Jenkins</span> American football player (born 1992)

Austin Edward Seferian-Jenkins is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft. He played college football for the Washington Huskies. He also played for the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myles Gaskin</span> American football player (born 1997)

Myles Gaskin is an American professional football running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Washington and was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Ross (American football)</span> American football player (born 1995)

John Ellis Ross III is an American professional football wide receiver. He played college football at Washington and was selected ninth overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2017 NFL draft. He held the record for the fastest recorded 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine with 4.22 seconds before being broken by Xavier Worthy's time of 4.21 seconds in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dante Pettis</span> American football player (born 1995)

Dante Garrison Pettis is an American professional football wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Dissly</span> American football player (born 1996)

Will Dissly is an American professional football tight end for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Washington and was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. Dissly was Montana's Gatorade High School Player of the Year in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drew Sample</span> American football player (born 1996)

Drew Sample is an American professional football tight end and fullback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Washington and was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elijah Molden</span> American football player (born 1999)

Elijah Monroe Molden is an American professional football safety for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Washington and was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Penix Jr.</span> American football player (born 2000)

Michael Tarrence Penix Jr. is an American professional football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). After three seasons of college football with the Indiana Hoosiers that were limited by injury, Penix had a breakout year with the Washington Huskies in 2022 when he led the FBS in yards per game and set the school season record for passing yards. The following year, he won the Maxwell Award after leading the NCAA in passing yards en route to an appearance in the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship. Penix was selected by the Falcons eighth overall in the 2024 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cade Otton</span> American football player (born 1999)

Cade Otton is an American professional football tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played college football at Washington before being selected by the Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft.

Jalen McMillan is an American professional football wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puka Nacua</span> American football player (born 2001)

Makea "Puka" Nacua is an American professional football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the BYU Cougars after transferring from Washington. Selected by the Rams in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft, Nacua set rookie records for receiving yards and receptions, along with being named to the Pro Bowl and as a second-team All-Pro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ja'Lynn Polk</span> American football player (born 2002)

Ja'Lynn Polk is an American professional football wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas Tech and Washington, finishing as the runner-up with the latter in the 2024 national championship. Polk was drafted 37th overall in the 2024 NFL draft by the Patriots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dillon Johnson</span> American football player (born 2001)

Dillon Alexander Johnson-Norris is an American professional football running back for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Mississippi State Bulldogs and Washington Huskies.

Terrell Bynum is an American professional football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football for the Washington Huskies and USC Trojans and was signed by the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2023.

Jack Westover is an American professional football tight end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edefuan Ulofoshio</span> American football player (born 2000)

Edefuan Ulofoshio is an American professional football linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Washington.

Dylan Morris is an American football quarterback that plays for the James Madison Dukes. He previously played for the Washington Huskies.

Devin Culp is an American professional football tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Washington Huskies and was selected by the Buccaneers in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL draft.

References

  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.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.