Rome Odunze

The Bears selected Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze with the ninth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.

A 6-3, 215 pounder, Odunze comes to Chicago following a four-year stay in Seattle where he caught 214 passes for 3,272 yards with 24 touchdowns and rushed 10 times for 40 yards with two touchdowns in 40 games (29 starts). As a senior, he set school records with 1,640 receiving yards, which led the nation in 2023 and ranks third-most in Pac-12 history. His 92 receptions were second-most in UW history, just two shy of Reggie Williams' record. Along with Williams (2001-03), Odunze was just the second receiver in school history to record multiple 1,000-yard receiving seasons, reaching that mark in 2022 and 2023. During his time at Washington, the Huskies went a combined 32-12 and appeared in three bowl games, including the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship.

The Bears selected Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze with the ninth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.

A 6-3, 215 pounder, Odunze comes to Chicago following a four-year stay in Seattle where he caught 214 passes for 3,272 yards with 24 touchdowns and rushed 10 times for 40 yards with two touchdowns in 40 games (29 starts). As a senior, he set school records with 1,640 receiving yards, which led the nation in 2023 and ranks third-most in Pac-12 history. His 92 receptions were second-most in UW history, just two shy of Reggie Williams' record. Along with Williams (2001-03), Odunze was just the second receiver in school history to record multiple 1,000-yard receiving seasons, reaching that mark in 2022 and 2023. During his time at Washington, the Huskies went a combined 32-12 and appeared in three bowl games, including the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship.

DRAFT NOTES

• Odunze is the 16th player from Washington to be drafted by the Bears and the first selected in the first round. He is also the first Husky wide receiver drafted by the Bears.
• He is just the sixth receiver selected by the Bears in the first round since 1936 and is the fourth-highest wide receiver taken by Chicago (Kevin White, No. 7 overall in 2015; Curtis Conway, No. 7 overall in 1993; David Terrell, No. 8 overall in 2001).
• He is tied with Reggie Williams and John Ross as the highest-drafted Washington wide receiver in NFL Draft history. Williams was drafted in 2004 by the Jaguars and Ross was selected by the Bengals in 2017.
• Odunze is the third wide receiver drafted by general manager Ryan Poles, joining Velus Jones Jr. (2022) and Tyler Scott (2023).
• This marks the first time the Bears have selected twice in the first round since the 2003 NFL Draft when they selected defensive lineman Michael Haynes (14th overall) and quarterback Rex Grossman (22nd overall).
• The Bears have now chosen seven players at No. 9 highlighted by Hall of Fame middle linebacker Brian Urlacher in 2000. Their other No. 9 choices have been running backs Don Scott (1941), Bob Steuber (1943) and Ray Evans (1944), defensive end Al Harris (1979) and outside linebacker Leonard Floyd (2016).

ROME ODUNZE WASHINGTON OVERVIEW (courtesy of UW media relations):

• Odunze was a consensus first-team All American (Pro Football Focus, CBS, The Athletic) and earned first-team All-Pac 12 honors as a senior in 2023.

• He was one of four captains voted by the team and notched 10, 100-yard games. Odunze won the Offensive Skill Player of the Year Award at the team's postseason banquet.

• Odunze played in 12 of 13 games with eight starts as a junior. He recorded 75 catches for 1,145 yards with seven touchdowns, leading the team in receiving yards and ranking second in receptions. He also led the Pac-12 in receiving yards and was second in receptions per game.

• His 1,145 yards were the (then) fifth-most in a single-season in school history and his 75 receptions were seventh. Odunze won the Most Outstanding Offensive Skill Player at the team's award banquet.
• As a sophomore, Odunze appeared in nine games with seven starts, recording 41 catches for 415 yards with four touchdowns.
• He played in all four games in a shortened 2020 season, catching six passes for 72 yards.

AT BISHOP GORMAN HIGH SCHOOL

• Odunze was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for Nevada and MaxPreps Nevada Player of the Year as a senior in 2019.
• Over his career, he had 121 receptions for 2,699 yards and 31 touchdowns.
• As a senior, Odunze had 54 catches for 1,222 yards and 15 touchdowns over 13 games. He notched 100 yards receiving in 12 of 13 games and scored in all but one.
• He caught 60 passes for 1,347 yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior and was named All-Southwest League first team and earned a spot on the 4A all-state team. Odunze was listed by 247Sports as the No. 185 overall prospect and No. 32 wide receiver in the nation, as well as the No. 2 recruit in Nevada. He was also ranked the nation's No. 239 overall prospect and No. 44 receiver, and the No. 2 prospect in his state, by Rivals.com.
• Odunze was named to the 2019 all-state team for track and field and won the 4A state title in the 200 meters (21.25) and the 4x100 relay (41.36) and finished fourth in the 100 (10.67) as a junior in 2019. He took second in the 4A state meet in the 4x200 as a freshman.

MORE ABOUT ROME

• Son of James Odunze and Necia Bunnell.
• Named by his father after the Roman Empire.
• Majored in history and communications.
• Was first Husky to be voted the College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Team Member of the Year for NCAA Division I football, which recognizes academic and athletic success.