Washington WR Rome Odunze Declares for 2024 NFL Draft After CFP Title Game Loss

University of Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze declared for the 2024 NFL draft on Friday, forgoing his senior season, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel.

Odunze is coming off a career-best season for the Huskies, as he recorded 92 receptions for 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns, and Washington reached the College Football Playoff National Championship Game where it fell to Michigan.

On its latest 2024 NFL draft big board, the B/R NFL Scouting Department listed Odunze as the No. 9 overall played and the No. 3 wideout in the class.

Per Thamel, Odunze also thrived from an analytical perspective, ranking first in FBS in catches on throws 20 or more yards down the field and fifth in contested catch rate and broken tackles:

The 21-year-old Odunze was used pretty sparingly over his first two seasons, but he exploded upon the arrival of head coach Kalen DeBoer and quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

Odunze's breakout season occurred in 2022, as he finished with 75 catches for 1,145 yards and seven touchdowns, all of which were personal bests by a wide margin at the time.

Penix, Odunze and the entire offense all took another big step forward in 2023, which resulted in Odunze being one of the most dynamic and productive receivers in all of college football.

With the Washington offense firing on all cylinders, the Huskies went 14-1, beating Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship Game and Texas in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Sugar Bowl.

The Huskies didn't have the same offensive rhythm as usual in the National Championship Game against Michigan, but Odunze was still productive with five grabs for 87 yards

Odunze finished with less than 80 yards in a game only once all season, so the team that drafts him will be getting a consistent performer in addition to a speedy playmaker capable of making teams pay on deep shots.

The 6'3", 215-pound Odunze is part of a remarkably deep and talented wide receiver draft class that sees as many as three go inside the top 10 picks.

Odunze is joined by Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. and LSU's Malik Nabers, both of whom have a chance to be top-five picks.

In their latest mock draft released this week, the B/R NFL Scouting Department projected that Odunze will go 13th overall to the Las Vegas Raiders, making him the third wideout off the board behind Harrison and Nabers.

Penix, offensive lineman Troy Fautanu and pass-rusher Bralen Trice were also mocked inside the first round, meaning it could be a huge draft for the Huskies.