Washington WR Rome Odunze confirms he suffered multiple injuries vs. Arizona

Washington star wide receiver Rome Odunze confirmed on that he is without a doubt, not only one of the most gifted players in the nation, but one of the toughest players in the game as well. Odunze confirmed on Wednesday evening that he fractured a rib and punctured a lung recovering an onside kick against Arizona. He was in the hospital until nearly 5 AM that night, and two Husky trainers took turns driving him the 23-hour trip back to Seattle, Washington. The trip was 1,600 miles total.

The news was relayed on Wednesday afternoon on Twitter by Mike Vorel. Keep in mind, the injuries against Arizona occurred on Saturday, Sept. 30th. Two weeks later against Oregon, Odunze hauled in eight passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns (including the game-winner). He didn’t miss any time the rest of the year and went on to finish with 81 catches this year for 1,428 yards and 13 touchdowns. That ranked him second in the country. Odunze also led the country in targets of more than 20 yards downfield (43). He and Michael Penix, Jr. have firmly cemented themselves as one of the best quarterback-receiver tandems in school history.

Not only was he a Biletnikoff Award finalist given to the nation’s top receiver, but he figures to be a top selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. In one of ESPN’s latest NFL Mock Drafts, they have him pegged at No. 14 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Odunze also brought home first team All-American honors from multiple media outlets. He was the first Washington wideout to be named first team AP All-American since Reggie Williams did it back in 2002, when Rick Neuheisel was the head coach.

Odunze has hauled in over 1,000 receiving yards in back-to-back seasons for the Huskies, becoming a critical piece in guiding Washington to a 2023 Pac-12 Championship and a berth in the upcoming College Football Playoff.

Coming out of high school, Odunze played for one of the most prestigious programs in the country, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nevada). In the 2020 cycle, he was rated as a four-star prospect and the No. 185 overall player in America, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. As a senior, he hauled in 58 catches for 1,322 yards and 16 touchdowns. A track star as well, he clocked a 10.67 second 100-meter dash, also finishing as the state champion in the 200-meter dash (21.25 seconds).

Washington and Texas will face off against each other in the Semifinals of the College Football Playoff. That one is set to be played on January 1st. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN and kick is set for 8:45 PM EST.