Jan 8, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Washington Huskies wide receiver Rome Odunze (1) is unable to make a catch against the Michigan Wolverines during the third quarter in the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship game at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Having addressed their offensive line with the additions of Tyron Smith, John Simpson and Morgan Moses, there’s more speculation than ever that the New York Jets will be adding a pass catcher with the tenth pick in the draft. One name that has been pitched is Georgia tight end Brock Bowers who we profiled here.
Another popular choice among Jets fans is Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze. What does Odunze bring? Let’s take a look.
Player Name: Rome Odunze
Position: Wide Receiver
School: Washington
Height: 6′ 3”
Weight: 212
Hand Size: 9 1/4”
Arm Size: 32 1/4”
40-Yard Dash: 4.45
Vertical Jump: 39”
Broad Jump: 10′ 4”
3-Cone Drill: 6.88
20-yd Shuttle: 4.03
10-yd split: 1.52
Bench Press: N/A
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
High School: Bishop Gorman
Class/Age: Junior, 21
Recruit: ★★★★ (Rivals.com)
Film Study
Games Watched: Michigan State (2023), Arizona (2022), Oregon State (2022), USC (2023), Oregon (2022).
Route Running: A smooth route runner who exploits open areas against zone coverage.
Hands: On film, Odunze’s hands are some of the best we’ve seen in all of college football this year. According to PFF, he dropped just 3 passes all season, giving him a drop rate of just 3.2%.
Release: Another area where Odunze stands out. Rare quickness for his size.
Separation/Quickness: Given his physical attributes you would expect to see far more separation from Oduzne but he’s often having to make contested catches given to opposing DB’s being able to keep up with him.
Ball Skills: Uses his hands, body control and ability to attack the ball to come down with tons of contested catches. Some of the best ball skills in the class.
Speed: A sprinter in high school, Oduzne’s 4.45 speaks for itself.
Size: Odunze uses every bit of his 6′ 3” frame to beat opposing DB’s for contested catches.
Run Blocking: This is probably the biggest concern we noted. Far too often we saw Odunze opting to become a spectator on run plays.
Versatility: Odunze played a handful of snaps in the slot but in all likelihood will primarily be boundary receiver.
Notes:
2023 All-American
2023 Biletnikoff Award Finalist
2023 All-Pac 12
Summary:
Odunze is well on his way to being a top 10 pick. His eye popping 2023 numbers at Washington (92/1,640/13) are off-the-charts. Taking a step back as a pro wouldn’t be a huge surprise as Odunze will be facing defenders who won’t be quite as easy to handle when he can’t get separation. Teams also may not love his lack of willingness to block but he brings enough to the table as a pass catcher that most will look past it.