Bears add wide receiver Rome Odunze with No. 9 pick (2024)

by: Regan Holgate

Posted: Apr 25, 2024 / 09:34 PM CDT

Updated: Apr 25, 2024 / 09:34 PM CDT

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (WTVO/WQRF) — The Chicago Bears selected Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze with the ninth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft Thursday evening.

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 sophom*ore, 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.