“Number one and number two player though,” Chicago Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham said to general manager Ryan Poles after they selected Rome Odunze with the No. 9 overall pick, pairing him with the draft’s top pick, USC quarterback Caleb Williams.
The Bears detailed the team’s 2024 NFL draft in a YouTube video entitled “1920 Football Drive,” which added that intriguing comment that seemed to signal the organization had the Washington star ranked above Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., the first receiver taken in the draft.
While Chicago could have taken Harrison, who went at No. 4 to the Arizona Cardinals, off the board entirely, it’s still a major feather in Odunze’s cap. Throughout the draft process, Harrison was the draft community’s consensus top receiver and some scouts even ranked him as the top overall player, but Odunze was never far behind.
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah had him ranked as the No. 3 player in the draft and Chicago seemingly had similar marks for him coming off his historic 92 reception, 1,640 yard, 15 total touchdown season.
Combined with Williams, the Bears have an exciting pair of talents that could dominate in the NFC North for the foreseeable future.
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All roads led to @RomeOdunze #1920FootballDr
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) May 24, 2024