It’s back-to-back Huskies. Wide receiver Rome Odunze is officially the second Washington alumnus to come off the board in the 2024 NFL draft.
The star wide receiver, whose performance against the Oregon Ducks with a punctured lung instantly became a key piece of modern Husky lore, was selected 9th overall by the Chicago Bears.
He joins quarterback Caleb Williams to instantly form one of the more dynamic duos in the NFL. Widely seen as either the second or third-best wide receiver in the draft, Odunze has drawn comparisons to the likes of Atlanta Falcons receiver Drake London and Tennessee Titans star DeAndre Hopkins as a contested-catch machine with an underrated smoothness as a route runner.
Odunze enters a room with veterans DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, giving him a gentle on-ramp into the NFL. But ultimately, Chicago drafted the Husky as the future of the room.
Odunze was the lone Husky to attend the draft in person in Detroit. It seems like he knew he wouldn’t be waiting for long.
Bears fans went absolutely wild for the Odunze pick 😱 pic.twitter.com/pw40U5CM9F
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) April 26, 2024