The 2024 NFL Draft is absolutely loaded at wide receiver, and Washington star Rome Odunze is towards the top of his class.
In his final two seasons at Washington, Odunze hauled in 167 passes for 2,785 yards and 20 touchdowns. It didn’t matter if it was the Pac-12 Championship Game or the season opener, the Huskies were going to get his best effort each Saturday.
Now, Odunze is out to prove that he can lead an NFL team’s passing attack. Most draft analysts expect him to be a top-10 pick.
We caught up with Rome Odunze to discuss his career at Washington, expectations for the NFL, and experience with Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile.
The Spun: Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile launched globally last month. We know you’re a big Call of Duty fan, so what are your impressions of Warzone Mobile?
Rome Odunze: I’ve been super excited about it. I remember playing mobile games in high school and thinking to myself, ‘I wish Call of Duty went mobile.’ Playing on a console or PC is great, but you need to have your right setup and settings. Mobile allows me to plop down anywhere and get some games in, which I’m always excited to do. I just really like the versatility of it.
The Spun: What’s your favorite version of Call of Duty?
RO: I’m a big “Modern Warfare 3” guy. I know a lot of guys love “Modern Warfare 2,” but I came on the scene at “Modern Warfare 3.”
The Spun: Has it sunk in yet that you’re about to get drafted to an NFL team?
RO: I don’t think it has. I’m just going along with life as normal. I’m trying to take every day as it comes. It’s been an interesting process, but I don’t know when it’ll hit me. Maybe it’ll be right before the draft.
The Spun: You stayed on the field at the NFL Combine because you wanted to hit a certain benchmark in the 3-cone drill. Some top wideouts skipped workouts entirely. What do you think that says about you?
RO: I think for me it’s just about following through on what I said I was going to do. I value myself as a man of my word. It was a goal of mine that I wanted to honor. That’s how I approach the game of football. I vow that I’ll continue to work hard and make plays for whichever team I end up on. It’s something that has been instilled in me at a young age.
Smh catch me running it back at pro day https://t.co/lcH2BwqV9z
— Rome Odunze (@RomeOdunze) March 3, 2024
The Spun: I’ve seen you get compared to Larry Fitzgerald and several other great wide receivers. With that said, which players do you like to study?
RO: I’m definitely honored by the Larry Fitzgerald comparison. I think that’s awesome because he was a tremendous player. Growing up, I watched a lot of Julio Jones. Most recently, I’ve watched a lot of Keenan Allen’s game and Davante Adams. They’re similar to my size and have similar builds. To see them have the success they’re having is impressive.
The Spun: What was your connection with Michael Penix Jr. like?
RO: I think it was a brotherhood. Washington is a very welcoming program for anyone coming in as a transfer. He was very welcome to a new atmosphere. He embraced the program from Day 1. He’s a tremendous guy off the field. On the field, he’s a leader who holds people accountable while also putting his best foot forward. Through practice and repetition, we created great chemistry that allowed us to have success.
The Spun: What was your favorite moment from the 2023 season?
RO: There were a lot of games in the Pac-12 that were thrilling. For me, it was the Pac-12 Championship. To be there with my brothers in my hometown and beat our rival was super special. But of course, each game has its individual moments that are special.
The Spun: I’d be remiss to ask you about Kalen DeBoer. How do you believe he’ll perform at Alabama?
RO: I think he’ll have a lot of success, I really do. He’s a man of the people and a very genuine person. He surrounds himself with good people. I’d expect nothing less than championships. It takes time to build those things, and I’d appreciate some leniency in that situation from the fans, but I don’t think there’s any chance he lets that program have anything but success.
The Spun: Rookie wide receivers are having more success now than ever. How important is it to you to be a No. 1 option immediately?
RO: For me, it’s about coming in and making an immediate impact. I’m going to go into the season thinking I’m WR1. I think everyone should have that mindset. We need to have a collective mindset to be the best in the room.
The Spun: Washington’s wide receiver room was loaded. Do you think it’s a good thing you had to share targets with others?
RO: Absolutely, I 100 percent think so. The whole wide receiver room had tremendous talent. Coming from a room like that, I’ll go to an NFL room that has similar talent. I can still have success, my teammates can have success, and the team can have success when you have that many talented guys doing their job.
Why @RomeOdunze is @MoveTheSticks’ favorite player in the #NFLDraft 👀
(by @surface) pic.twitter.com/XQpPwvIoKG
— NFL (@NFL) April 16, 2024
The Spun: What are you hoping to improve in the NFL?
RO: I think just polishing up my route-running, polishing up my releases. You can always improve those aspects of your game to make sure you’re getting an edge over the opposing defensive backs.
The Spun: What has been your biggest motivation during this journey?
RO: I would say my wife and my family. All the sacrifices they’ve made during my career haven’t gone unnoticed. I do this for them. They’ve allowed me to get to this point. It was a group effort. I want to honor them and the name on my back.
***
You can read more of our interviews with athletes and media stars here.