Rome Odunze's pre-draft appearance on 'Hard Knocks' should have Bears fans fired up that the Giants passed on him
The biggest steal in the 2024 NFL Draft might have occurred within the first 10 selections of the draft after the Chicago Bears landed wide receiver Rome Odunze.It wasn't an easy experience for general manager Ryan Poles having to wait patiently before making his second selection of the first round. However, everything worked out according […]
The biggest steal in the 2024 NFL Draft might have occurred within the first 10 selections of the draft after the Chicago Bears landed wide receiver Rome Odunze.
It wasn't an easy experience for general manager Ryan Poles having to wait patiently before making his second selection of the first round. However, everything worked out according to his plan on opening night.
The biggest competition the Bears had that could steal their #2 prospect on the board, barring any trade ups, was the New York Giants with the sixth overall pick.
Following the release of the latest "Hard Knocks" episode, giving an inside look at the Giants' offseason, fans can now see why the Bears were so ecstatic that the Giants elected to pass on Odunze in favor of Malik Nabers, whom the Giants must have felt was a better fit for the organization.
During the episode, Giants general manager Joe Schoen and other top executives were gushing over Odunze during the NFL Combine, an event Nabers elected to not take part in. Afterwards, we got to see an inside look at Odunze's pre-draft meeting with the team where he was asked to describe his best trait as a player.
"I would say my versatility. I played inside a lot in my career, I'm a blocker, I can get down on the line and get the job done, and I think I play pretty well outside," Odunze explained to the Giants contingents in the room. "You can plug and put me where ever you want and I'm going to get the job done."
Odunze wasn't kidding, and that's something the Bears coaching staff have already figured out with their new weapon while experimenting with new ways to line him up during practices throughout the offseason.
"He's able to pick up an offense right away, really understand all 3 of the receiver spots, he's not sitting there locked into one thing," Shane Waldron said. "He's really picking this offense up as a conceptual learner which I think only helps him down the road in the regular season when you start moving guys around."
Beyond his abilities on the field and how quick he's picking up the offense, Odunze also explained another key trait that separated him from the other WRs in the class.
"Other than all my skills on the field, I'm a guy who's going to come into your locker room and bring the energy, bring the juice, adhere to a high standard, and bring everyone along with me" Odunze added. "[I'm] a leader, someone who people could look to as an example of how to do things right and how to carry yourself in a way that inspires others."
These types of traits are exactly why the Bears had Odunze listed so highly on the team's draft board. Just look at the reaction the Bears top executive had during the draft after the Giants decided to pass on him for Nabers.
Both Odunze and Nabers are special talents and would be top candidates in any class but play the position differently. Nabers is a lot more explosive of an athlete than Odunze while Odunze is a lot better in contested situations down the field. The Giants opted to go with the explosive option, leaving the Bears to add their preferred guy to their new offensive scheme.
The decision could totally work out for both teams when we look back on it, but the Bears were definitely over the moon with how everything came into place that night and for good reason.
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