Field Yates: Chicago Bears drafting Rome Odunze was ‘grand slam’ of first round

The Chicago Bears have to be pretty pleased with their picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, specifically with their two in the Top-10. While QB Caleb Williams was the obvious yet ultimate prize at No. 1, though, WR Rome Odunze is what truly pushed it over the top for ESPN’s Field Yates.

Yates assessed the Bears’ draft along with Mel Kiper Jr. in their latest episode of ‘First Draft’ on Monday. To him, Chicago taking Odunze at nine, rather than overthinking it and going in a different direction, is a massive part why the franchise aced this draft.

“The one thing I will say is that, while you said that Rome Odunze was a gimme at number nine overall, there were some people that would’ve said, ‘Hey, the Bears should’ve prioritized that pass rusher’. Maybe even a Byron Murphy II because of the role he plays within that Matt Eberflus defense,” Yates said. “I like them resisting temptation to go elsewhere on the board and just take the No. 6 overall player on my board – I think even higher on your board at No. 5 overall – in Rome Odunze.”

“Part of the reason why I thought that was the grand slam of night one. Chicago Bears absolutely crushed it on night one,” said Yates. “A+ for night one, at least in my estimation.”

Odunze comes out of Washington after being an all-time great receiver in Husky history. While in Seattle, he caught 214 passes for 3,272 yards and 24 scores. That ranks him second in receptions and yards as well as fourth in receiving scores for the school.

Much of that came this past season as a junior. In total, he caught 92 passes for 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns. All of those were Top-10 in the country, including the national lead in receiving yards. Individually, that made him an All-American, an All Pac-12 First Teamer, and a finalist for The Biletnikoff Award. He also did that for a team that won the Pac-12 Championship and made it to the national title game.

Now, as Odunze goes to Chicago, he will join an offense that suddenly has several talented weapons. The Bears now have Williams to be their franchise quarterback for the future. He will lead a unit that has added DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, and D’Andre Swift the last two offseasons. That’s not to mention someone like TE Cole Kmet either. Odunze is part of that mix too as one of the top receivers in this class.

With two picks early on in this draft, Chicago was set up nicely to succeed coming away from it. They did exactly that, to Yates and to many others, by bringing both Odunze as well as Williams in with their selections.