Odunze Joins the Big Husky Rush to the NFL Draft

On a University of Washington team full of immense college football talent, wide receiver Rome Odunze hands down emerged as its best player. As the most decorated individual. Certainly the most fun to engage in conversation.

On Friday, Odunze became the latest Husky player and the third and final member of the starting pass-catchers to declare for the NFL draft, informing ESPN of his intentions.

In many ways, the personable Odunze became the face of this 14-1 UW football team that advanced all the way to the CFP championship game, where it lost 34-13 to Michigan in Houston.

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Odunze was the go-to guy not only for Michael Penix Jr. throws, yet also for ESPN, the Pac-12 network and all of the local media members who came looking for a memorable sound bite from the Huskies.

So relaxed and thoughtful, he could be in a line for his own talk show someday should this NFL thing not go the way he wants or should it demand that he entertain the masses in many ways. Yet he should be made for the pros between the lines.

"God willing, it's my last season and I want to make my mark on these young guys and my peers," Odunze said in the middle of the 2023 schedule. "I've really been making some strides to make sure I'm vocal and being out here encouraging and and leading by example."

He did all of that and more, sharing himself with everyone.

Washington star wide receiver Rome Odunze tells ESPN that he’s leaving school early for the NFL draft, adding one of the country’s top overall players to this draft class. Odunze enters the draft process as Mel Kiper’s No. 5 overall player and No. 2 wide receiver. pic.twitter.com/jRc4lDdkMG
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 12, 2024

Odunze becomes the latest player since the Michigan game to exit the program with eligibility remaining, joining fellow wide receivers Jalen McMillan and Ja'Lynn Polk, running back Dillon Johnson, edge rusher Bralen Trice, offensive tackle Troy Fautanu, defensive tackle Faatui Tuitele, cornerback Jaivion Green and walk-ons Griffin Waiss and Austin Harnetiaux, who were a tight end and a linebacker.

The Las Vegas native emerged from this season as the Huskies' only first-team All-America selection, as designated by the Associated Press, when there easily could have been others such as Fautanu, Trice and Penix.

Along the way, Odunze turned in one of the most prolific receiving seasons in UW annals with 92 catches for a school-record 1,640 yards and grabbed 13 touchdown balls, 15 scores overall after he rushed for one and returned a punt 83 yards for another.

In his four-year Husky career, Odunze finished with the gaudy numbers of 214 receptions for 3,272 yards and 24 touchdowns. The catches and yards are second in program history to Reggie Williams, who finished with 243 and 3,598 in 2001-03, respectively.

Just three Huskies have caught 200 or more passes in school history with Odunze joining Williams and Jaydon Mickens, who had 203 receptions in 2012-15.

Odunze easily could have turned pro following he 2022 season, but he delayed his NFL aspirations because he wanted to come back and make a championship run with his teammates, as well as improve on his draft standing, which was was said to be roughly third round last winter.

After his impressive showing, he's likely a first-round pick now, maybe even a top 10 selection, with his big body and excellent ability to catch contested balls making him a desirable draftee.

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