NFL Draft Position Betting: Will Rome Odunze Come Off the Board Within the First 8 Picks?

Riley Thomas•_riley8

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NFL Draft night is under a week away. FanDuel Sportsbook is offering various NFL Draft odds, including draft position lines for some players.

The receiver market is getting interesting, especially at the top of the board. Debate surrounds Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers; who is the best wideout in the class? Rome Odunze is going a little under the radar with Harrison and Nabers taking the headlines.

Odunze made the surprising decision to return to college football last year. He was tracking to be a second-day pick for the 2023 NFL Draft. The decision has certainly paid off as Odunze is gearing up to be the third receiver off of the board in the 2024 draft.

The market for Odunze's draft position is also raising eyebrows. FanDuel Sportsbook's NFL Draft odds have Odunze at -154 to go under 8.5, making him a favorite to be a top-eight selection. How has Odunze's stock spiked over the last week, and will he go under or over 8.5?

Let's break down each side.

NFL Draft Odds

Rome Odunze Draft Position Over/Under

Why Rome Odunze Could Go Before Pick 8.5 (-154)

As previewed, Odunze is trending for under 8.5. On Thursday, the under was at -140. A day later, Odunze is now -154 to go under.

Odunze was certainly one of the top wide receivers in college football last season. After posting a career-high 1,145 receiving yards in 2022, he increased his production to 1,640 yards in his collegiate swan song.

He even turned heads on the national stage, posting 125 receiving yards in the Huskies' College Football Playoff win against Texas. The 2023 Biletnikoff Award -- given to the nation's top receiver -- was a tight race between Harrison, Nabers, and Odunze. Harrison won the award by only one vote, which tied the smallest margin in the award's history. Odunze finished third in the voting -- just like he will likely be drafted third after Harrison and Nabers.

However, this is not a knock on Odunze. This is simply an elite receiver class at the top.

Odunze has the chops. Various scouting reports point out Odunze's physicality. Bleacher Report's scouting report also highlighted his ability to win contested catches and excel in run after the catch.

So, if Odunze is to go in the top eight, which teams could be suitors? It's very unlikely that he would crack the top six. Harrison landing with the Arizona Cardinals at No. 4 and Nabers being selected by the New York Giants at No. 6 have been very popular in mock drafts. This leaves Odunze to go at either the No. 7 or No. 8 picks.

The Tennessee Titans are picking seventh, and the Atlanta Falcons have the eighth selection. I'm not confident that Odunze would land with either squad. Joe Alt for the Titans and Dallas Turner for the Falcons seem to the consensus among mock drafts.

Odunze did have a visit with the Cardinals, but it would be a major surprise if he was selected at No. 4. Despite what the odds suggest, I would stay away from under 8.5.

Why Rome Odunze Could Go After Pick 8.5 (+116)

In my eyes, Odunze going after pick 8.5 looks like the best bet. The Chicago Bears and New York Jets are more potential suitors, and the wideout hailing from UW visited both franchises.

Chicago has the first and ninth picks, and quarterback Caleb Williams is -20000 to be the top pick. The No. 9 slot looks realistic for Odunze.

The Bears have secured a top target in D.J. Moore, who posted 1,364 receiver yards in the 2023 season. Chicago traded for Keenan Allen, but Odunze is still consistently landing with the Bears in mock drafts. The strategy could be to load talented targets around Williams -- the expected No. 1 pick -- and aside from that, Allen is a free agent after this coming campaign.

New York has a No. 1 receiver in Garrett Wilson and signed Mike Williams in free agency. Still, similar to Chicago, mock drafts haven't been afraid to suggest Odunze could be drafted by the Jets. New York still needs playmakers. Plus, Williams was signed to only a one-year deal. This could be another ideal landing spot for Odunze.

Ultimately, the needs of each team will always have a big influence on the draft. I have a hard time seeing Odunze cracking the top eight picks -- unless there is a trade. Relying on a trade is too risky for my liking, though.

The fits make sense for Odunze to go 9th or 10th. I'm taking over 8.5 for Odunze's selection. The odds are only looking more enticing with the odds moving from +106 to +116 over the last day.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.