The Chicago Bears were thrilled with the progress their rookies made over the course of the spring. Quarterback Caleb Williams made big strides in his understanding of how to play a more conventional style from under center, something he didn’t do much at USC. All of this came while showcasing his tremendous arm talent in every practice. However, head coach Matt Eberflus said wide receiver Rome Odunze was the one who stuck out the most with his unique blend of size, speed, and hands. Even the Bears defense admitted he’s been impressive.
However, it appears the team may have actually downplayed how good Odunze was. Josh Schrock of NBC Sports Chicago reinforced this on the Under Center podcast. Even if your expectations were already high, it’s time to raise them.
What stands out the most about Odunze isn’t his talent. It is his work ethic. A lot of young players who are that gifted aren’t ready to put in the extra time to get better. That doesn’t appear to be the case with the 9th pick. He is driven like few are in this sport.
That is a big reason the Bears wanted Rome Odunze.
GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus understood from the beginning that a player need both to reach a high level in this league. Having great talent is only half of the solution. It is the talented players who also work hard that become elite. Brian Urlacher was that way. So were Charles Tillman and Lance Briggs. They didn’t become cornerstones simply by being premier athletes. Few could think through the game better than them. Finding players like that has been a challenge for the organization over the past decade. It feels like they’re finally on the right path again.
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Rome Odunze faces a tough situation. Chicago has a legacy of brutal luck with 1st round wide receivers. Kevin White and David Terrell were both busts. Willie Gault and Curtis Conway underachieved. The organization still has an all-time leading receiver who retired in the 1960s with less than 6,000 yards. That should tell you how bad it’s been. Odunze feels like the first prospect to come along who is the total package. He’s big, strong, athletic, fast, and plays the game the right way. Most importantly? He has a quarterback.
@Veece I believe the Bears have a speed guy. V Jones. He just got very few chances with getsey and JFs inability to actually get him the ball. He just needs his confidence built up. Same with Tyler Scott. Guy has near Olympic speed. Just needs good coaching and a QB that can get him the ball when he’s open.
Many Bears fans pounded the table very aggressively for MHJ. But Rome has that alpha dog mentality that MHJ doesn’t have. That’s why Rome will ultimately be the better WR. He doesn’t have his father’s name to allow him to get by just by showing up. He’s gona be an absolute beast. He and Williams are going to be a special tandem. I can’t wait to see this offense by mid to late October when they really start clicking together as a unit.
Why do sportswriters and fans always attribute to the lack of results to “luck?” Players are drafted for their promise, not their polish. Players who are drafted who have great college accomplishments (see:Spencer Rattler) are drafted lower because they are presumed to have hit their ceiling, therefore aren’t projected further. But after drafting “promise,” the Bears have never known what to do next. Repeatedly, whether it’s a talented player in a trade (Jay Cutler or Brandon Marshall) or in a draft, Kevin White, Velus Jones. They don’t have the coaching chops to get them from “project” to Pro Bowl. And… Read more »
Say his name! WR (“little”) Johnny Morris. After MLB Bill George, he was my grandfather’s and father’s favorite player.
It’s always tough to predict who will make it big in a league with so many elite athletes, but I like RO’s chances. With hard work and relentless conditioning, he might be exactly the type player who will exceed expectations. I loved MHJ, but there is something about him that suggests he rested on reputation not hard work. I could be wrong, but if Odunze continues to work hard, those saying he was the best in the draft may be proven to be right.