After Caleb Williams goes #1 to the Chicago Bears in less than two weeks, all eyes shift to the #9 pick. GM Ryan Poles could go in several directions at that spot. However, one name keeps coming up as a likely choice if he's available when they're back on the clock. That is wide receiver Rome Odunze from Washington. It makes sense in certain ways. Keenan Allen will be 32 this year and is in the final year of his contract. Adding another top talent at the position would give the Bears insurance and another target for Williams.
The obvious question is whether Odunze should be the choice. Plenty of draft evaluators love him. NFL.com even compared him to Larry Fitzgerald. His mix of 6'3 size and 4.4 speed makes him a dangerous target. However, not everybody is all in on him. Steve Smith is one of the greatest wide receivers of the past quarter century. He will likely end up in the Hall of Fame someday. He spent time evaluating the top three receivers in this class. While he agreed that Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers were well-deserving of the hype, he had reservations about Odunze.
While he agrees the young man is talented, there are concerns about his ability to win on the outside against NFL-level cornerbacks. He didn't have to worry about that much against mostly cupcake defenses in the Pac-12. Smith even stated he liked Odunze's teammate, Ja'Lynn Polk, better.
The Chicago Bears must consider Odunze carefully.
Nobody disputes his natural ability. He's also a first-rate worker and human being by all accounts. Coaches and executives are sure to love him in interviews. That said, if you're going to be the 9th pick in the draft, you should be able to do everything in your position. Smith believes Odunze's best area will be in the slot early in his career. With enough time, he can also learn to win on the outside, becoming a complete weapon. Putting him behind guys like Allen and D.J. Moore might actually be perfect for him.
Still, it puts the Chicago Bears in an interesting dilemma. Do they see the same things Smith does? If so, it might compel them to shift their focus towards adding another edge rusher or even a new left tackle. They could even dangle Odunze to a wide receiver-needy team further down the board in a trade. Poles has never been shy about passing on seemingly can't-miss prospects in favor of moving down. He passed on Will Anderson Jr. and Jalen Carter in the 2023 draft. He passed on George Pickens multiple times the year before.
This is something to keep in mind.
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