The 2024 scouting combine is right around the corner, which means that it’s time to take a more critical and detailed look at this year’s draft prospects. With that in mind, we here at Touchdown Wire are doing as many thumbnail scouting reports as possible before the combine gets going on February 29. We will of course be doing more comprehensive reports before the draft, but here’s a good starting point.
Next up is Washington receiver Rome Odunze, who caught 92 passes on 140 targets last season for 1,639 yards and 13 touchdowns. As a deep target, Odunze caught 23 of 49 passes of 20 or more air yards for 783 yards and six touchdowns. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Odunze feasted on go, seam, post, and hitch routes, but there really isn’t any route he can’t run.
PLUSES
— Contested-catch monster who seems to welcome converging defensive backs and close-in situations
— Arm-tackling him is an exercise in futility; you’d better wrap him up after the catch
— “Drifts” really well on posts and fades and has late hands to give him an advantage if the CB isn’t playing the ball
— Outstanding end zone target who can subtly re-distribute defenders to keep him open in short areas
— Finds the voids in coverage, and then he wants to beat people up to stay open
MINUSES
— Doesn’t have third-level breakaway speed, but go tell him it’s a problem
— Speed off the snap is generated more by route concepts than pure vertical ability
— Effort and intent as a blocker, but the technique is a bit iffy
Odunze has every attribute you want at the position except for downfield accelerant speed, and as much else as he brings to the field, that shouldn’t be an issue.
Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
PLUSES
— Contested-catch monster who seems to welcome converging DBs and close-in situations
— Arm-tackling him is an exercise in futility; you'd better wrap him up after the catch
— "Drifts" really well on posts and fades and has late hands to… pic.twitter.com/bl2wtWzEtJ— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) February 22, 2024
