University of Washington receiver Rome Odunze, who is expected to be taken in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday, caught up with Post columnist Steve Serby for some pre-draft Q&A.
Q: If you are drafted by the Giants or Jets, why won’t the New York market scare you?
A: 1, I don’t think the New York market will scare me ’cause I’ll put in the work. And I think New Yorkers and the people that support those teams will be able to respect that, just because I feel like it’s a blue-collar fan base and a very passionate fan base, and regardless of what happens on the field, I happen to think it’ll be a lot of success. But to me, I think they’ll first and foremost respect the work that I put in the offseason, and the things that they’ll see me do on the field, from an effort and attitude standpoint, that will be second to none.
Q: How would you describe your meetings with the Giants and Jets?
A: I would say they went well. Both are very good organizations who have a mindset to win games, and I think have tremendous weapons and talent in the building to continue to do that, and I think they’re on the up and up. I think I could be a valuable part to both of those offenses to help the team have success. I felt like the coaches and everybody in the facility were great people as well.
Q: What would, one day, you want your legacy to be?
A: I’d love at least three Super Bowls, I’d love to be a several-time All-Star. … I’d love to hopefully win Offensive Player of the Year.
Q: Why three Super Bowls?
A: I think three Super Bowls is pretty solid. If I would say I was having a 12-year career — which I think would be pretty solid, you know it’s a team sport, so it’s not like I can expect to win a Super Bowl every single year — but I think one-fourth of my years I’m winning a Super Bowl, the other years of course making it to conference and division championships as well, but three sounds like a pretty solid number.
Q: What kind of an impact do you think you can make as a rookie?
A: I think I can make an immediate impact. I think my skill set translates to the NFL at a high level. I’m gonna go in there with a humble mindset and work my tail off to continue to get better and learn how I can have success at the NFL level, and I think I can be immediately put in to have a lot of success.
Q: Whatever comes to mind: Aaron Rodgers.
A: Hall of Famer.
Q: How would you like catching passes from Aaron Rodgers?
A: It would be tremendous. I think he’d be able to teach me a lot about offense as a whole and football at the NFL level, which I’d love and I think would help me carry my career for many years. And to be able to catch passes from him, I mean, he’s super special — his ball placement, his adjustments on the field, the way he is able to run kind of his own offense while running the [offensive coordinator’s] offense as well is very unique — so that’d be awesome.
Q: Daniel Jones, what do you know about him?
A: Daniel Jones, another great quarterback. Duke, I visited there and I know they produce very good dudes and great football players as well, so would be awesome to catch passes from him. I think he’s trending upwards and continue to grow as well, so would love to grow right alongside of him.
Q: Caleb Williams.
A: Young talent, and a very special talent at that. Got to see him play across the field from me watching him tear our defense apart a little bit with his playmaking ability. Another special quarterback who I’m super excited to see how he’ll do in the league, which I’m sure will be great.
Q: What if you ended up being his teammate?
A: That would be good, to be able to grow alongside him both as rookies, to develop that relationship, I think that’s something that could develop into something really special. I think regardless, both of us will continue to put in the work to have a lot of success, but to be teammates with him would be really cool.
Q: What makes Michael Penix, Michael Penix?
A: Michael Penix, that’s my quarterback [at Washington], 1, I think what makes him him is his talent, his ability to throw the ball I think is second to none, his ability to command a team and create problems for defenses like no other. I think he’s been able to do it through so much perseverance, through being drug through the mud and through injuries as well — which shows his grit, shows his heart, which he commented on recently. But as well as his on-field play, who he is as a person and the leader that he is is very inspiring and very contagious, so any team that gets him is gonna be lucky, and I think it should be very soon come Thursday.
Q: I’ve seen you described as the next Davante Adams.
A: I love that. I think I have a skill set that can be compared to him and qualities that are similar to him, but I think he’s at the top of his game and at the top of his league, so definitely still things I need to work on to get to that level of play, but I think I’m chasing that for sure.
Q: What traits do you have that you believe make you elite?
A: I think my ability to run routes to create separation as well as being a big-body receiver to make contested catches. I’m first and foremost trying to create space and separation within a concept and trying to get open on any given play to make it easy on a quarterback, but sometimes things break down, and football’s the type of game where you have to make adjustments mid-play, so I also have the body and the frame and the ability to make those contested catches to get myself and the offense out of a jam.
Q: I assume you believe you’re the best receiver in the draft.
A: I do.
Q: Why? Where do you get the edge?
A: It’s hard to speak on any weaknesses in any other receiver in this draft. I think that they’re tremendous players as well. I just think for me, I have the most complete wide receiver play from route-running standpoint, from separation to blocking to contested catches to catching the ball as a whole. … I feel like my skill set and my ability within all these things are, like I said, second to none. I believe also my attitude, effort within the locker room, my ability to connect with my teammates as well as impact the community is great as well.
Q: You sound like you can be a leader as a rookie.
A: I would say so. I think that’s the role I would like to play within an offense. I think a rookie like me brings a new energy, a different attitude. I was a part of the [Washington Huskies] team that went to the national championship game, so I know what it takes to win, coming from a team that was 4-8 two years prior, so I know the coaches that I need to take to win, the atmosphere that a locker room needs to have, and the tough love and the accountability that a team needs to have as well, so I think I can bring those aspects to any team.
Q: A quick scouting report on Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
A: Tremendous talent. Has the frame, has the size to be a very prominent contested catcher in the league. Has a very prestigious pedigree as well as very good route running, very good releases and overall great receiver as well.
Q: LSU receiver Malik Nabers.
A: He’s explosive, raw athleticism sort of receiver who catches the ball very well and has a very unique skill set that will translate to the NFL very seamlessly as well.
Q: How would you describe your on-field mentality?
A: My on-field mentality is play-by-play, I’m a very in-the-play sort of guy — just focusing on my task, making sure I’m doing the best I can on each individual play — and I feel like that helps me be cool, calm and collected no matter what — no matter if I make a good play or if I messed up on a play prior, just always being ready for the current moment.
Q: How do you handle trash talk?
A: I don’t really trash talk unless someone trash talks me, and then I usually chirp back. I’m a quiet player, I respect the game until somebody is talking to me, and then I say what needs to be said.
Q: Are you a good trash talker?
A: I think I’m pretty solid, I think I’m pretty witty.
Q: What drives you?
A: I would say my family, definitely — all the sacrifices, all the things that they’ve done for me to get me to this point. And what they continue to do for me definitely drives me and makes me want to continue to succeed. … My [Nigerian] heritage, making people with my last name proud, and of my same bloodline proud.
Q: Does fear of failure drive you?
A: Fear of failure? No, I wouldn’t say fear of failure drives me. I mean, I hate to lose, but if I prepare to the best of my ability, then why should I fear failure when I’ve done all that I could to have success, and sometimes those things don’t happen, but at the end of the day when you put in the work, it’s not something you can control, just gotta go out there and do your thing.
Q: What will draft night mean to your grandfathers?
A: My grandfather on my father’s side is gonna be able to be there, my grandfather [Wayne Bunnell, who is legally blind] on my mama’s side will be in Utah listening in. I think it will be a tremendous accomplishment for both of them, and I hope the accomplishment will make both of them proud and they’ll be able to relish in the moment and we’ll be able to share it together. I’ve said it before, but when my name is called it feels like all of our names being called ’cause all of those people invested a lot into me.
Q: Your grandfather, who was in a biking accident in 2016, will be able track your draft moment over the phone.
A: He’s in Provo, Utah, and I’ll call one of my aunts, and he’ll be able to hear the excitement on all of our voices. … It’s tough, I’ve always wanted him to be able to enjoy the luxuries of life after all the work that he’s put in for the family, but sometimes God has a different plan, and it is what it is, and something that I think you gotta take on the chin and just enjoy what you can, and that’s exactly what he does.
Q: What does a Sharpie Rookie of the Year entail for you?
A: I’ll be making sure I’ll be signing with the S-Gel pen just because I feel like I’m an elite athlete so I need an elite pen, and the Sharpie S-Gel allows for no smear, no smudge and no bleeding. I’ve been able to do that with Michael Penix as well, we did our Sharpie signature combine where I did a little training to make sure my signature was right, so I’m prepared throughout my rookie year going forward.
Q: So if you wanted my autograph, I could borrow your Sharpie to sign it for you?
A: I think it would be mandatory for you to use a Sharpie ’cause I feel that’s the way you get the best quality.
Q: Three dinner guests?
A: Dave Chappelle, LeBron James, Jay-Z.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: Probably one of the “Avengers,” whether it’s “Infinity [War]” or “Endgame,” both of those were really good.
Q: Favorite actor?
A: Denzel Washington.
Q: Favorite actress?
A: Sandra Bullock.
Q: Favorite entertainer?
A: Kevin Hart.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Sushi.
Q: What would you tell NFL general managers about why they should draft Rome Odunze?
A: They’ll get immediate impact of someone who’s gonna be very loyal to the organization, I’m a loyal type of guy. I think they already know what my skill set is on the field, so I don’t think I need to harp anything on that. Like I said earlier, I think I’m No. 1 when it comes to all those aspects, but someone who’s gonna be good in the locker room as well, someone who’s gonna have desire and tenacity to continue to be better and grow as the team grows and have a team-first mindset, so I would say all those things.
