Over the last several weeks, Rome Odunze's parents took an active role in helping the Bears rookie receiver prepare for his first NFL training camp.

Back home in Las Vegas following the end of the offseason program, the 6-3, 215-pounder ran routes while his mom, Necia Bunnell, and dad, James Odunze, acted as his quarterback, barking out calls from the Bears playbook.

"They'd call out the formation and the play call for me and then I'd run out to wherever I needed to be," Odunze told ChicagoBears.com. "And then I'd come back to the 'huddle,' and they'd have another play for me. It helped me learn the offense and condition as well."

Odunze appreciates the love and support he's always received from his parents.

"It's awesome," he said. "I've had it for my entire life. I'm extremely grateful for them being able to continue to do those things for me. It's a blessing. I have some of the best parents in the world; I think the best, but I'm biased."

The prep work that Odunze did in the searing Nevada heat should benefit him this summer. The first-round pick from Washington is more than eager to participate in Bears' training camp practices.

"Of course we're excited," Odunze said, speaking for all the rookies. "It's our first time going through this process. We finally get to play football … Just super excited to learn, super excited to be a part of this organization as we get rolling."

Odunze joins veterans DJ Moore and Keenan Allen to give the Bears one of the NFL's most dynamic receiving trios. All three topped 1,000 yards last season: Odunze's 1,640 yards led all FBS receivers and were the most in Washington history. Moore led the Bears and ranked sixth in the NFL with a career-high 1,364 yards. And Allen topped the Chargers and was 11^th in the league with 1,243 yards.

In May, Moore told a reporter that he anticipated a sprint to 1,000 yards this year, saying: "I don't know who's going to get there first, but it's going to be a race."

"All of us are trying to be the best in that room and it creates a competitive and friendly environment for all of us to thrive," Odunze said. "I think it's important for a receiver to have that mentality, to be the best in his room … Back in college, when we all had that mindset and got to thrive together, it [was] awesome."

Odunze feels the same way about having a chance to compete against a talented NFL defense in training camp.

"I'm at the highest level of ball, and that's something I've been dreaming about for a long time," he said. "I know I'm going to have my failures; I'm going to have my successes as well. I think it's awesome to be able to compete at this level with some great athletes."