Bears 7-Round Mock Draft: Two Trades Cause Massive Shake-Up
By Todd Welter
2. Rome Odunze Gives Caleb Williams a WR1 (No. 12 Overall)
Rome Odunze. . Wide Receiver. . Rome Odunze. 1. Todd Draft Piece Other 1st. First Round, No. 12 Overall Pick. player. 521
Rome Odunze might be off the board by 12, but when I ran this mock draft simulation on the Pro Football Network had Odunze available with this pick, and it's not an unrealistic idea.
He is considered the second-best wide receiver in the draft according to NFL.com's Bucky Brooks. Some services have LSU's Malik Nabers ranked ahead of Odunze. Although Odunze believes he is better than Nabers and Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr., the consensus top wide receiver prospect in the draft.
Rome Odunze on why he should be drafted before Marvin Harrison Jr. @RomeOdunze @CBSSportsRadio pic.twitter.com/EjhQJNrU0e
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) February 7, 2024
Odunze has a case with his elite size (six-foot, three inches) and his amazing senior season where he caught 92 passes for 1640 yards and 13 touchdowns. He had his best games against Oregon (twice) and Texas in the College Football Playoff Semifinal.
The only knock on Odunze's game is that he has just average explosiveness. Imagine a wide receiver duo of D.J. Moore and Odunze with Caleb Williams to sling the ball to them.
In addition, Odunze fills a major need the Chicago Bears have. Moore and Tyler Scott, who will be in his second season, are the only wide receivers under contract. The Bears' new offensive coordinator, Shane Waldron, loves bigger receivers, so Odunze is a great fit there. Expect Ryan Poles to draft Rome at No. 9 if Odunze is still on the board and the team does not trade back.