Grading the Bears Draft Picks: Rome Odunze |
After taking Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick, the Bears shifted their focus to their second pick of the first round which fell at No. 9. This was where things got interesting, and that was mainly due to the Atlanta Falcons shocking the world and taking Michael Penix Jr at No. 8. Given what the Bears need on this team and what they are looking to do, there were questions as to whether or not they would keep this pick or trade it to acquire more assets down the road.
You could make an excellent argument for both sides of the equation, as the Bears were in the rare position to dictate how the rest of the draft fell. Not only did they elect to keep the No. 9 overall pick, but they chose to help Williams out a bit more and gave him another explosive weapon in WR Rome Odunze. Considering how the mock drafts have looked the past few days, seeing Odunze land in Chicago wasn't a surprise, but it was still nice to hear his name called in Chicago. This draft is regarded as one of the deepest of all time regarding WR talent. You had your big three that were head and shoulders above the rest, and a large number of what you would call Tier 2 WRs fell in line. Odunze falls in that tier 1 section, and depending on who you ask, some even feel he was a better option than both Marvin Harrison Jr and Malik Nabers. Adding Odunze to this offense gives them yet another weapon for Williams to throw to, as the first round unfolded about as perfect as you can imagine for this team. Heading into the offseason, the Bears were not only looking for WR help but also big-body WRs who could challenge the ball. Keenan Allen is certainly a big-body WR, but so is Odunze, who also stands at 6-3 and right around 220 pounds. That is something this Bears offense has lacked, so having two big-bodied wide receivers to help Williams is going to be a massive lift. While Harrison Jr. and Nabers may be better than Odunze at certain parts of their game, Odunze is regarded as the most complete WR in this year's draft. He is a great route runner and knows how to get himself open. He can create great separation just a few steps off the line, and most importantly, he makes tracking the football poetry in motion, which could be the best part of his arsenal. He has excellent body control and balance, can jump and spin to catch the ball before landing, and continues to run downfield. Odunze catches the ball outside of his body and is highly effective in contested catch situations. He frequently overpowers or boxes out opponents to give himself leverage at the catch point. Odunze is also skilled at running through arm tackles after the catch, and he’s often used on screenplays, where he can weave his way through traffic to gain significant yardage. Needless to say, this is a player the Bears haven't had since Brandon Marshall or even Alshon Jeffrey, so adding him to build around Williams for the next four or five seasons is crucial. Another thing that scouts loved about Odunze is that he was one of the rare players who improved every season, with this past season showing a significant jump in overall production. He ranked near the top of the nation in receptions but did manage to lead the country in yards while hauling in 14 TD passes from his teammate Penix, who went one pick before him. Chicago is hoping that Williams and Odunze can form the same kind of chemistry, as they will be linked together for the next five seasons as the main leaders of this offense. Draft Grade A - Depending on who you ask, some felt that Odunze wouldn't be sitting here at No. 9, and if he were, the Bears would instead trade down rather than acquire him. Not only did they not trade down, but taking him at No. 9 makes their offense one of the most lethal units in the NFL, which is weird to say about a Chicago team. With Williams under center, Chicago will have DJ Moore, Allen, Odunze, Cole Kmet, Gerald Everett, and D'Andre Swift all paired with him on offense. The production that could come from this group is scary to think about, and although Odunze may not be as good as Harrison or Nabers, this was still an excellent pick for a team looking to acquire more playmakers.
