Field Yates Praises Bears' Rome Odunze as 'Grand Slam,' Best Pick of 2024 NFL Draft
April 26, 2024
The vibes couldn't be better for the Chicago Bears after the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.
After starting the day by officially making Caleb Williams the No. 1 overall pick, the Bears ended it by making what ESPN's Field Yates called a "grand slam" and best pick of the round with Rome Odunze falling in their lap with the ninth selection:
"Landing Odunze here is a grand slam for the Bears when considering the impact he can have on quarterback Caleb Williams—whom Chicago took at No. 1—and the value of the selection relative to my board. I had Odunze rated sixth overall, and there was a case for him to be even higher. His 24 contested catches last season tied for the FBS lead, and Williams will build an immediate trust in throwing it his way regardless whether he's truly open."
This was a very popular pairing for the Bears leading up to the draft if they were going to stick at No. 9 instead of trading down to accrue more picks.
Odunze and Williams may have helped manifest it using their posts on X to let everyone, including the Bears, know they were traveling on the same flight to Detroit for the draft.
Odunze was the No. 6 overall player on B/R's final big board. B/R scout Derrik Klassen used "shades of Davante Adams" as the Washington standout's pro comparison. He was the third receiver drafted after Marvin Harrison Jr. went to the Arizona Cardinals at four and Malik Nabers landed with the New York Giants at six.
Considering there have been some comparisons between Williams' style of play and Aaron Rodgers', the Bears getting their rookie quarterback his own Adams is brilliant.
Chicago has done a fantastic job of making sure Williams has all of the help he will need to have success right out of the gate. Odunze, D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen could be as good as any receiving trio in the NFL.
It's been a long time since there has been this much optimism about the Bears. Based on their results from the first day of the draft, it doesn't seem like there is any reason for things to quiet down.