I’ve overcome punctured lungs and broken ribs to make my NFL dream come true – now I’m set to be first round Draft pick

Odunze played through two major injuries to show how tough of a player he is

NFL Draft prospect Rome Odunze has battled through adversity to make his pro football dream come true.

Odunze, a wide receiver at the University of Washington, proved himself to be one of the toughest players in the 2024 draft class after a courageous 2023 season.

Rome Odunze battled through adversity to become a top draft prospectCredit: Getty

Odunze played through a broken rib and punctured lung during the 2023 seasonCredit: Getty
Odunze had an incredible 2023 season, going for over 1,600 receiving yards with 13 touchdowns, being named a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, the trophy for the top receiver in college football.

While he didn’t win the award, proved that he is the toughest wide receiver in college football during a two-game stretch where he didn’t miss a game even with broken ribs and a punctured lung.

During Washington’s Week 5 win over the Arizona Wildcats, Odunze put his body on the line to recover an onside kick at the end of the contest.

While he recovered the ball, he came up clutching his sides and was transported to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a broken rib and punctured lung.

That injury could have been damning for Odunze’s playing time, especially with a huge matchup against rival Oregon coming up after Washington’s bye.

Odunze wasn’t permitted to fly after the diagnosis, out of an abundance of caution for his injury, so he was forced to rent a car and drive over 1,600 miles from Arizona back to Washington.

A punctured lung and broken rib weren’t enough to stop Odunze from missing any games after his cross-country drive, and he suited up for the rivalry game without a second thought.

“I was telling them as soon as it happened that I was looking to play regardless of how it felt,” Odunze said to the Seattle Times.

“I was still feeling a few things [with the rib] here and there, especially going through practice and things like that. But for me, the moment that was ahead was too big to miss.”

Odunze didn’t miss the moment, in fact he became the moment. In that game he caught eight passes for 128 yards with two touchdowns on the way to a Washington win over Oregon 36-33.

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He continued producing strong performances like that for the remainder of the season which has propelled him into being a lock for a first-round selection.

Odunze is projected as a top-three wide receiver in the 2024 draft and could go within the top 10 picks.

He ran a 4.45 second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and is known as a player that can go up and win the 1-on-1 and come down with contested catches.

The Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots, New York Giants, and New York Jets are all teams selecting in the top-10 that could be looking for a receiver.

Odunze is expected to be drafted in the top half of the first roundCredit: Getty