Time to Pull the Wraps Off Odunze and Let Him Flourish

The Husky wide receiver appears capable of so much more than he's shown.

As University of Washington spring practice came to a close, Rome Odunze spoke about how he was looking into studying abroad.

Asked where he might want to go, the Husky wide receiver didn't bat an eye.

"Rome," he said.

Yet before Odunze heads off for an international adventure, he needs to conquer the national scene first.

As he enters his third season as a UW wide receiver, answering to a new coach in Kalen DeBoer, Odunze might be the most underrated, unappreciated and underutilized Husky football player on the roster.

Of course, DeBoer and his staff no doubt are telling him that will all change in the months ahead.

He's a 6-foot-3, 201-pound pass-catcher with significant size and speed.

Think DK Metcalf with a similar personality yet without all of the muscles. 

Remember that Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Miami, Notre Dame and USC all wanted him.

They'd still take him.

Odunze is someone to build a high-powered offense around, though his running mate Jalen McMillan can make the same claim.

If DeBoer's offensive coaches are as wily and creative as advertised, they'll repeatedly hit opponents over the head with both of these guys.

Last season, Odunze posted a team-leading yet somewhat modest 41 catches for 415 yards and a team-high 4 scores, just ahead of his buddy McMillan, who finished with 39 receptions for 470 yards and 3 TDs. 

If DeBoer's staff can get a  quarterback comfortable and confident in the pocket, anything less than double those numbers for either wide receiver will be flat-out disappointing or frustrating.   

"We're trying to have at least 80 and up there in the K's for yards and at least double-digit touchdowns," Odunze said. "At least that's what we're going for, that's the goal."

Odunze missed the first three games last season with a shoulder separation. He gradually played himself into shape to where he caught a game-winning 8-yard scoring pass against Arizona with 6:44 left to play and made a sensational one-handed grab of 16-yard TD pass against Washington State.

Rome Odunze shows off his acrobatic ability against WSU :: Joe Nicholson/USA TODAY Sports

Spring practice came to an abrupt end when Odunze snagged a 50-yard touchdown strike from Indiana transfer Michael Penix Jr., certainly a feel-good moment and maybe a preview of things to come.

He was the center of attention as everyone put their pads away in April. Odunze should accept nothing less when everyone pulls them on again in the coming months. 

This Rome should be built in a day. Then he can head to Italy and see his namesake.

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UW FIRST WR DEPTH

1) Rome Odunze, 6-3, 201, Soph., Las Vegas

2) Giles Jackson, 5-9, 177, Jr., Antioch, Calif. (Michigan)

3) Jabez Tinae, 6-0, 185, R-Fresh., Seattle 

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Conclusion: Odunze has three seasons of Husky eligibility remaining. If he lives up to his vast potential, expect him to pile up some big numbers and flirt with leaving early for the NFL. He's that good. It's time to make it happen as a focal part of DeBoer's spread offense. Behind him is Giles Jackson, someone the previous staff couldn't figure how to use to its advantage and then greatly neglected. DeBoer's coaches took one look at the speedster originally from the University of Michigan and began salivating, envisioning him in open spaces, running, catching and returning the ball. Jabez Tinae came to the UW  with huge high school receiving numbers, but has been kept in check by injuries. It's time for him to get more involved.

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