Rome Oduzne finished with 92 catches for 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns as part of a phenomenal season for the Washington Huskies offense last year.
He’d be the clear WR1 in most NFL draft classes, but in a year with Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers he’s become the forgotten man in the wide receiver group.Â
I wrote an article last week about why I’d be taking a flier on the Giants to draft Odunze at No. 6 rather than LSU’s Nabers, the current favorite for that selection.
Odds for Giants’ pick at No. 6
| Player | Pos. | School | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malik Nabers | WR | LSU | +170 |
| Rome Odunze | WR | Washington | +300 |
| Joe Alt | OT | Michigan | +500 |
| J.J. McCarthy | QB | Notre Dame | +550 |
However, with other avenues to wager on Odunze’s draft landing spot, is there value to be found elsewhere? Let’s dive in and find out.
Rome Odunze’s profile
At 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds, Odunze has the frame of a prototypical X receiver.
As you might expect, he’s a monster at the catch point; he had an elite 75% catch rate on contested attempts and led the FBS with 21 contested catches, per PFF.
According to Matt Harmon’s Reception Perception profile, Odunze was in the 92nd percentile for success against press coverage.
However, Odunze is much more than a contested-catch demon who thrives against press coverage. At the combine, he ran a 4.03-second 40-yard dash, which was in the 91st percentile for the wide receiver position. That elite agility translates to his rare route-running ability for a player his size.
Harmon tracked Odunze in the 80th percentile or better for route-running success against both man and zone coverage. His ability to separate from defenders is rare for a player with his size and physicality.
He won’t destroy defenses with yards after the catch quite like Nabers, but he’s no slouch in that department, averaging 5.6 YAC per reception.
Potential landing spots for Odunze
If you’re placing a wager on either side of Odunze’s over/under prop of 8.5, it’s essential to understand where the Washington product could land in this year’s draft.
I’d rule out the entire top five, for starters. There’s a strong chance Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy are off the board in the first five picks, and Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. is a heavy favorite to be the first non-quarterback drafted.
The Giants, at No. 6, could be in play for Odunze’s services. Odunze arguably makes more sense for a Giants wide receiver room featuring some of the speed and explosiveness elements that Nabers would bring, but lacks a big-bodied, alpha X-receiver.
I wouldn’t completely rule out the Titans at No. 7, although they are -330 on DraftKings to use their first pick on an offensive lineman, which is a clear need.
The No. 8 pick is where things begin to get interesting.
Given the Falcons’ needs on the defensive side of the ball, it would be a surprise if they spent a fourth straight first-round pick on a skill position player, but crazier things have happened.
However, this pick would be a natural trade-up spot for a team looking to jump the Bears at No. 9 for Odunze.
Williams, Chicago’s presumptive first-overall pick, posted to X on Tuesday that he was on the same flight to Detroit as Odunze. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network later posted that Williams had been throwing to Odunze recently.
Rounding out an elite wide receiver trio already featuring D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen would be a dream for Chicago, as they embark on Williams’ rookie season.Â
The Jets are a team that we could see making a trade-up of two picks to jump the Bears for Odunze’s services. The Washington receiver would be an excellent fit next to Garrett Wilson.
The Jets were patient last year in a draft where they wanted offensive tackle Broderick Jones, and the Steelers traded up one pick ahead of them to select Jones. It’s easy to see them aggressively moving this year to secure Odunze’s services.
Could the Bills, whose first pick is at No. 28, make a Julio Jones-esque trade-up for Odunze? They’re priced at -280 to spend their first pick on a wide receiver after trading away Stefon Diggs, and they could use some of the capital acquired in that Diggs deal to help them make that aggressive move up the board.
This wide receiver class is defined by an elite top trio and a significant tier break after that, so teams could be aggressive to land one of the top three prospects.
The final verdict
I’d lean toward the under on Odunze’s current draft position prop of 8.5, given the possibility of the Giants taking Odunze at No. 6 and the potential for a team to trade up to the No. 8 pick to jump the Bears.
DraftKings currently has -150 odds on the under, indicating an implied probability of 60%.Â
If you want to bet on a team trading up to the No. 8 pick for Odunze, I love that you can get +650 on him going at that selection on DraftKings. Given how closely I view the two prospects, I also like the value of +320 odds on Odunze going ahead of Nabers.
Betting on the NFL?
- Read our expert guide on how to bet on the NFL
- Check out the best NFL betting sites
- Get the latest Super Bowl 2023 Odds.
- Get the BetMGM Bonus Code
I’d be looking for different ways to get action on Odunze going earlier than expected, at No. 9 to the Bears, as I believe the market is too low on his talent.
At the premium position of wide receiver, Odunze will be a coveted player in this class, and it will be fascinating to see where he lands.
Bet: Rome Odunze draft position under 8.5 (-150, DraftKings) | Consider Rome Odunze drafted No. 8 overall (+650) | Long-shot bet: Rome Odunze drafted better Malik Nabers (+320)