Receiver Rome Odunze, the Bears' No. 9 overall pick, talks with ChicagoBears.com about why he grew up a Devin Hester fan, his hidden talent, his favorite comedians and much more.
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Chicago?
The Bears, definitely, and Devin Hester.
What's your favorite Devin Hester moment?
I think it was a missed field goal against the Giants where he walked out of the end zone when he caught it and it looked like he wasn't going to return it, then he took off for a 99-yard touchdown.
What did you love about Devin Hester growing up?
I think it was just the rawness to his game. He wasn't conformed to any sort of position. He just went out there, caught the ball and scored touchdowns. I thought that was super unique.
You've lived out west your whole life, what do you want to see or do in Chicago?
I'm looking forward to everything. Looking forward to opening my mind to the city, enjoying all the things it has to offer. They say it's one of the best cities in the world, so I'm looking to lean on the locals to point me in the right direction. I need some recs.
To give Rome your recommendations, click here.
Do you have a hidden talent or something people don't know about you?
I'm really into stand-up comedy and I can juggle. Those are the two that I usually tell people. They're not that interesting, but that's me.
Who is your favorite stand-up comedian?
I have a lot. Real big fan of Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Bill Burr, Richard Pryor, all those guys.
Do you feel like you could be a comedian?
Nah, I'm not a comedian just yet. I'll pop a joke here and there, but I'm working on my stand-up comedy game right now, that's for sure.
What's your go-to hype song right now?
SOLO STEPPIN by Lil Yachty.
You played with Kyler Gordon at Washington. What's your relationship like with him?
That's my dawg. I was there with him at UW. Unfortunately when he was there, we didn't have the offense figured out yet, so him and Trent McDuffy were carrying us on the defensive end. We got things rolling after he left. But to be able to join up with him, be able to compete against him daily is something that's going to be special.
Who are you excited to compete against in practice?
Kyler, definitely. And then Jaylon Johnson as well. I'm looking forward to going against all the DBs and the defense as a whole because they're a tremendous unit, so all those guys.
What type of guy are you in the locker room?
I'm a really lighthearted guy. I just like to have fun and bond with all of my teammates and joke around and give each other a hard time.
When you think about playing against Caleb Williams in college, what is the first thought that comes to mind?
First thing that comes to mind is how embarrassing it was having to watch him do some of the things that he did to our defense. He's a special player and especially with his moves outside the pocket, it can get ugly out there. So I remember all those moments.
How many messages did you get on draft night?
Probably over 200. I haven't answered any, honestly, but I'm getting to it.
Best coaching advice you've ever received?
I received it before I went to college. I was told by a coach that it was going to be the hardest thing I ever did. And I felt like that was a very good thing to hear, because people glorify the college experience and the recruitment process through it all, so understanding that you're going to have to put in a lot of work in that new phase of life. I think I'll be carrying that as I go through this new transition.
