{"id":47747,"date":"2024-04-15T03:14:24","date_gmt":"2024-04-15T08:14:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/?p=47747"},"modified":"2024-04-15T03:14:24","modified_gmt":"2024-04-15T08:14:24","slug":"mel-kiper-insists-chicago-bears-take-rome-odunze-at-no-9-if-available","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/mel-kiper-insists-chicago-bears-take-rome-odunze-at-no-9-if-available\/","title":{"rendered":"Mel Kiper insists Chicago Bears take Rome Odunze at No. 9 if available"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Chicago Bears will be getting two bites at the apple in the Top-10 of the 2024 NFL Draft<\/a>. With the thought being that they\u2019re going with QB Caleb Williams<\/a> at No. 1<\/a>, the question at No. 9 has a simple answer, depending on what\u2019s available, to ESPN\u2019s Mel Kiper.<\/p>\n

Kiper made his pick for the Bears in his fourth mock draft<\/a> during a SportsCenter Special<\/a> last week. Assuming he\u2019s still there like he is in Kiper\u2019s mock, the draft expert says Chicago shouldn\u2019t think twice about taking Washington<\/a><\/strong> WR Rome Odunze<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t believe he\u2019ll be there,\u201d said Kiper. \u201cIf he is, the Bears? Do not consider trading down! Take Rome Odunze.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, if he\u2019s not there, Kiper suggests that the Bears make a deal since they don\u2019t have a second-round pick as they won\u2019t select again until No. 75 in the third round. However, if he\u2019s there, he says Chicago shouldn\u2019t overthink it and take one of the draft\u2019s top receivers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Rome Odunze is gone, you don\u2019t have a second-round pick because of the Montez Sweat<\/a> trade? Then you consider moving down. But, if Rome is there? Uh uh,\u201d said Kiper.<\/p>\n

Over four years as a Husky, Odunze caught 214 passes for just under 3,300 yards and 24 touchdowns. That included this past fall where he had a career year with 92 receptions for 1,640 yards, which set a school record, and 13 touchdowns.<\/p>\n

That resum\u00e9 has him firmly in the mix at the position<\/a> with Marvin Harrison Jr.<\/a> and Malik Nabers<\/a>. With Harrison Jr. slightly ahead<\/a> in those rankings, Kiper made it clear that he has Odunze right there with Nabers as the second-best receiver in the draft.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike I said, the only reason I went with Nabers over Odunze is speed and explosiveness but they\u2019re neck and neck<\/a>,\u201d said Kiper.<\/p>\n

Chicago has already made several roster additions to help Williams out heading into his rookie season. That includes trading for Keenan Allen<\/a> and signing D\u2019Andre Swift<\/a> to go along with other pieces like DJ Moore<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Still, adding another young, talented prospect at receiver like Odunze would only further improve Williams\u2019 circumstances. That\u2019s why Kiper is proposing they do so with the second of their two Top-10 picks.<\/p>\n

\u201cRome is the pick,\u201d said Kiper. \u201cHe would be a steal if available at number nine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat a pick it would be at number nine if he\u2019s still on the board,\u201d Kiper said.<\/p>\n

The post Mel Kiper insists Chicago Bears take Rome Odunze at No. 9 if available<\/a> appeared first on On3<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Chicago Bears will be getting two bites at the apple in the Top-10 of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-47747","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47747","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47747"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47747\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47770,"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47747\/revisions\/47770"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47747"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47747"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47747"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}