2024 Atlanta Falcons Potential Draft Pick Profile: WR Rome Odunze

The Atlanta Falcons have a really solid group at wide receiver after free agency, but adding another wide receiver in the draft should be a priority. Taking one in the top 10 should only happen if the Falcons have a chance at Rome Odunze or Malik Nabers though. Nabers has already been covered, but Odunze might just be a better player than him when all is said and done. Odunze is more of that all-around wide receiver who has both power and speed.

Rome Odunze

University of Washington

Wide Receiver

Athletic Comparison and Numbers

Rome Odunze has fantastic athleticism. A comparison to Braylon Edwards is a fantastic one for the former Huskies wide receiver because that puts him in the 99th percentile of all wide receivers athletically since 1999. Teams will love just how athletic he is and how well he can attack all parts of the field because of it. Odunze is extremely underrated as an athlete because he's not the fastest of the three big wide receivers this year, but make no mistake about it, he can burn a defense.

Stats and Awards

2023: 15 Games Played, 92 Catches, 1,640 Yards, 13 Touchdowns, 2 Carries, 37 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 2 Punt Returns, 87 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 2 Kick Returns, 17 Yards, First-Team All-Pac 12, First-Team All-American, Biletnikoff Finalist
2022: 12 Games Played, 75 Catches, 1,145 Yards, 7 Touchdowns, 3 Carries, 6 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 1 Punt Return, 1 Tackle, First-Team All-Pac 12, Pac 12 Academic Honor Roll, First-Team All-Pac 12, Third-Team All-American
2021: 9 Games Played, 41 Catches, 415 Yards, 4 Touchdowns, 2 Carries, 13 Yards, 2 Tackles, Pac 12 Academic Honor Roll
2020: 4 Games Played, 6 Catches, 72 Yards, 3 Carries, -16 Yards

Highlight Reel

Scouting Report

Strengths

The best thing Odunze does is separate and create open looks for his quarterback. He creates big plays and has the looks and power of a true No. 1 wide receiver in the NFL. He boxes out defenders like a power forward and has the tools to be the primary target for an NFL offense. He wins contested catches easily and is a high-pointing hands-catcher, not a body catcher. He fights off press well and will be a tough matchup for smaller corners to defend properly.

Weaknesses

Odunze might be a great athlete, but his route running needs a lot of work. The minute aspects like making sure he sinks his hips in his cuts or doesn't take too many steps to create separation in his route need work. He telegraphs certain routes to the defender, and it would be fine if he did that if he was better with his double moves. He needs to work hard with his pro receivers coach to develop and refine his route running so that he can be the beast he could be.

Intangibles & Off-Field Red Flags

One of four Washington Huskies team captains during their 2023 runner-up season was Rome Odunze. He's clean off the field and is known as a hard-working team leader. The Falcons love this kind of stuff and love to draft guys with the kind of motor Odunze has. The only questionable thing about Odunze in this aspect is when the running play goes away from his side, he doesn't tend to block the cornerback on his side with much effort.

NFL Stylistic Comparison: Larry Fitzgerald

Rome Odunze is a fantastic all-around wide receiver who brings back memories of Larry Fitzgerald at Pittsburgh. He's shown that he can burn a defense deep. He's a physical guy over the middle. Fitzgerald was a can't-miss type prospect coming out of Pittsburgh and Odunze wins in the same kind of way. He just has a bit more athleticism than Fitzgerald had while Fitzgerald had a little bit more physicality from his time at a military college.

How does he fit in with the Atlanta Falcons

If Rome Odunze slips to the No. 8 overall pick, the Falcons could shock the world and take him there. Adding Odunze to the offense would give the team a No. 1 wide receiver that could take the job from Drake London and allow the Falcons to have their best set of offensive weapons since the 2016 season. Odunze could be a Julio Jones or Larry Fitzgerald-type ace in the offense that opens up everything for the rest of the team.

When the rest of the team is a pair of former No. 8 overall picks in London and Bijan Robinson and a former No. 4 overall pick in Kyle Pitts, the real question is who defenses can focus on to try and stop the offense. And giving new quarterback Kirk Cousins all the tools to create one of the best offenses of all time is never a bad idea. Cousins likens himself to a point guard who just tries to make the players around him better. And that's all he would need to be if they drafted Odunze.

All advanced stats are courtesy Pro Football Focus or Football Outsiders. All traditional stats are courtesy of official team websites, NFLGSIS or CFB Stats. All RAS and athletic testing numbers are courtesy of DraftScout.com and Kent Lee Platte's RAS Football website.