LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Most of the hubbub about the Bears’ first round of the 2024 NFL draft centers around new quarterback Caleb Williams, and deservedly so. He’s the latest man to embark on the quest to jump start an offense that’s routinely struggled to put up points– and there’s good reason to believe he can do it.
But the Bears might have found another offensive cornerstone with their No. 9 overall pick, wide receiver Rome Odunze.
“I don't know where to start with that guy,” said GM Ryan Poles. “First of all, a human being, what a great guy. Work ethic, just blue collar in the way he goes about things. But as a receiver, he can line up anywhere: inside, outside. You love his ability to finish in contested situations. Plays strong, plays big, run after catch is very good. He's a punt returner as well.”
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Chicago sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Odunze burst onto the scene in 2023 after he opted not to leave for the draft following the 2022 season. It was a great move. After being projected to be a day two pick last year, he rose all the way into the top-10 thanks to these incredible numbers. All the rankings in parentheses are among wide receivers with at least 100 targets in 2023.
1,639 yards (1st), 74 first downs (1st), 21 contested catches (1st), 75% contested catch rate (1st), 15.5 yard average depth of target (2nd), 13 TDs (t-4th), 3.2% drop rate (6th).
Equally important: Odunze was a key cog in the Washington Huskies’ run to the national title game.
“I mean, the kid's just put time in and he got better and better every single year and he's a winner,” Poles said. “He can impact the game at any moment. If you're at quarterback, and you're in doubt, you want to just go give a guy an opportunity to go finish, he's your guy. He's done that consistently.”
NFL
Poles admitted he had some nerves about the Bears’ chances to land Odunze. He and assistant GM Ian Cunningham sequence out their entire draft board, and Poles said Odunze was “extremely high” on that list. But when the team ran draft simulations, Odunze was only available at No. 9 about half of the time.
“As it started to unfold, Ian had to hold me back to not trade up and do something crazy to get him,” Poles said.
Once the draft got to pick No. 7, J.C. Latham to the Titans, Poles said the team started feeling pretty good that they might get their shot.
“It ended up working out really well.”