Rome Odunze put on a show at the NFL combine, then did something rarely seen | Top Vip News

INDIANAPOLIS – Earlier this week, when it became clear that Rome Odunze was the highest-rated prospect who would actually be a full participant at this week’s NFL scouting combine, the Washington Huskies answered a question that has essentially become a star of the defining north for elite players at this year’s event.

Why do it?

The top three quarterbacks refused to work on the field, and LSU’s Jayden Daniels refused to even be weighed or measured. Top tight end Brock Bowers skipped all of his positional drills and the 40-yard dash. The same goes for the draft’s two presumptive top receivers, LSU’s Malik Nabers and Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., who did not show up for their scheduled media appearance. On Saturday, he effectively left the team with Odunze as the last elite standing after he committed to doing literally everything.

By the end of Saturday night, he not only appeared, he starred. And in a twist, she did it longer than anyone thought.

After the 6-foot-3, 212-pound Odunze posted excellent scores in the vertical jump (39 inches) and the 20-yard dash (4.03), he ran a solid 4.45 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He followed up with a flawless series of drills, highlighted by a near-perfect glove, showcasing his ability to stay in a line while sprinting and catching passes in quick succession. He then did something that caught the attention of NFL talent evaluators.

With Lucas Oil Stadium nearly empty, Odunze was on the field repeatedly repeating his three-cone drill. Despite already earning the fourth-highest score (6.88) in his receiving class, he had cut a cone while trying to get a better score. So he went again. And again. And again. Five times in total, until NFL Network cameras noticed that he was doing a drill in a stadium that was effectively abandoned.

It was a moment that also caught the attention of the evaluators.

“Wow,” said one scout. “Damn. Yeah, he’s a stud. Safest pick in this draft, I guess besides (Harrison), but Marvin probably wouldn’t have tested like Odunze did. He’s an incredibly good kid, too.”

“Unanimous Team All-Juice,” another scout texted.

It was certainly an eye-opening moment to end a big day (and week) for Odunze, who has also received rave reviews in his interviews with teams. So much so that there now appears to be a growing possibility that he could unseat Nabers as the presumptive second wide receiver on the board after Harrison. That wouldn’t be a huge surprise, given that Odunze has been a first-round pick in waiting since his 2022 season with the Huskies.

As for the question of why Odunze did everything, when he could have easily joined Harrison and Nabers in doing nothing, he answered it himself earlier this week.

“That’s what it’s all about: saying you’re the best and competing for it, right?” Odunze said. “I feel that way, so of course it’s a competition. But also, all these guys are baseball players. I feel very honored to be a part of the conversation and very grateful to be able to compete against guys like that. I am also a fan of his game.”

“For me, (this is about) being able to compete against previous and upcoming generations and being able to see where I stand against all of those people. I feel like it’s a one-time thing, something you can only do once in your life, so I wanted to do it to the fullest. “It’s something I feel like I can excel at, which is why I decided to do it.”

He lived up to that Saturday. But the most interesting thing about him this week is that teams were finally able to absorb his personality. Not to mention seeing how he has mixed with other stars. One personnel man noted that he has seen USC quarterback Caleb Williams gravitate toward Odunze on more than one occasion this week, a reality that has likely generated some rumors over the course of the combine that have suggested the Chicago Bears They could take Williams with the No. 1 overall pick, then try to move up from his No. 9 spot to pair Odunze with him.

That could be a little more difficult after Saturday, when Odunze easily cements himself into the draft’s elite wide receiver trio with Harrison and Nabers. Earlier in the week, he met with the Bears, Tennessee Titans, New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers, although that list had likely doubled by Saturday. It remains to be seen how far he can go in this draft, especially considering he’s potentially already in the top six overall. But as Odunze said earlier this week, he believes he’s the best wide receiver in this draft and he came to Indianapolis prepared to prove it.

“I just think my versatility on the field (is the reason I’m the best),” Odunze said. “I think I have demonstrated all the skills that can translate to the NFL at a high level in different facets of my game. And I think who I am as a person, who I’ll be in the locker room, who I’ll be in the community, they’re all A-plus. … I’m always willing to learn, always willing to understand that there is room for improvement regardless of where I am in my career.”

Even if that moment in your career is a Saturday night at the combine, going through a drill for the fifth time inside a stadium that’s ready to turn out the lights.