Is trading up for this elite wide receiver prospect worth it for the Rams?

The Los Angeles Rams sit with the 19th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. While the Rams will have a first-round pick for the first time since 2016 when they selected Jared Goff first overall, there are still a lot of options on what they can do with that pick. The first option would be to stay at 19 and likely get a good, but not elite level prospect. They could also trade back and still get a good prospect, but also pick up extra draft capital.

Contrarily, the could trade up and try to land a blue chip prospect. However, that would mean sacrificing draft capital to do so. With that said, this may be something that the Rams would consider. In 2013, the Rams held the 16th overall pick and moved up to eight to take Tavon Austin. Snead traded up again in the 2016 draft, moving up from 15.

There seems to be a narrative that general manager Les Snead won’t trade up in the first round. However, every time the Rams have been stuck in that middle area i.e. the 15-20 pick range, Snead has traded up. Snead likely won’t see a big difference in value in a player drafted at 19 and a player drafted at 25 and early into the second round. Therefore, it makes sense to try and maximize first-round pick value by getting a bonafide franchise-caliber player.

If the player and price is right, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Rams were to make a move for a “dream player” that likely won’t fall to 19. One of those players on that “dream 19” list could be Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze. Odunze is a player that the Rams met with at the Combine and given their interest in Mike Evans before he signed his extension, it’s very clear that they have the wide receiver position on their radar.

However, when it comes to the draft, there is a lot of unknown and nothing is ever a “guarantee”. If the Rams were to move up from 19 and into the top-10 to take a player like Odunze, they would have to be sure that the player is worth the move. They can’t have another Tavon Austin situation in which they move up and reach for a player that doesn’t fit the system. Again, the player has to be worth it.

Matt Harmon of Yahoo Sport and who also owns Reception Perception which charts wide receivers and quarterbacks just released his breakdown of Odunze. The profile in its entirety is certainly worth checking out. Here’s what Harmon had to say on the Washington wide receiver,

“Odunze operated as a pure perimeter receiver for Washington last season and primarily lined up as the X…He checks so many boxes that any club would want out of a high-volume, full-field X-receiver. All of Rome Odunze’s success rate vs. coverage scores are impressive but his 80% success rate vs. press is the most impressive mark. He saw a good amount of press in a legitimate Power 5 conference. That’s as bonafide a result as you’re going to find. With a 76.2% success rate vs. man coverage, Odunze is in striking distance of Chris Olave and Devonta Smith in this metric…Odunze is a great route runner who shows a mastery level of deception with plenty of quickness and a litany of tricks in the toolbag to work himself open…I don’t use the word “elite” lightly in prospect profiles but everything about Odunze’s film and Reception Perception profile screams elite route runner. His route tree makes me think of Nico Collins, Brandon Aiyiuk or Julio Jones working on these in-breaking routes as the X-receiver in a Shanahan offense. That would be a perfect deployment for Odunze…He epitomizes a guy you can set your watch by on the football field. I don’t often like to compare prospects to one of the top wideouts to play the game in recent seasons, but I’m breaking the rule for Rome Odunze: He reminds me of Davante Adams.”

Matt Harmon via Reception Perception

The route-tree and success rate from Odunze on those routes is absolutely insane. Harmon described the Washington receiver as one of the most impressive prospects that he’s ever charted. There is certainly top wide receiver upside when it comes to the player and there is a reason that he is being talked about as someone being drafted in the top-10.

A few of the names that Harmon mentions are Chris Olave, Devonta Smith, Brandon Aiyuk, and Julio Jones with a direct comparison to Davante Adams. If those are some of his player comparisons, players like Olave, Adams, and Jones are or were all bonafide number one receivers. Additionally, Jones and Adams were both considered the best players at their position.

There are a few things to consider here. The first is that the Rams are very clearly building this team around Matthew Stafford. They re-signed Kevin Dotson in free agency who excelled at right guard last season and then went and signed Jonah Jackson, arguably the top guard available, to play on the left side. Those signings mean that last year’s 36th overall pick, Steve Avila, will be moving to center. That is a lot of investment to the interior of the offensive line. The goal is clearly to protect Stafford at all costs and provide him with a consistently clean pocket.

Matt Harmon via Reception Perception

The second thing to consider here is the future of the wide receiver position on the roster. Heading into 2025, the Rams will have Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp as the only wide receivers under contract. Adding to that, Kupp is going into a year in which he has started just 21 of the last 34 games. Kupp ended 2022 on injured reserve and began 2023 on that same list. He arguably was never healthy at any point last season. Another injury plagued year and the Rams could move on from Kupp as they have an “out” in his contract. While that isn’t a scenario anybody wants, it is a very possible one and the Rams could save $12.5M.

Adding a player like Odunze gives the Rams some star-power and future at the wide receiver position in a world post-Kupp. Acquiring the star receiver prospect would likely mean having to move into the top-10 and giving up draft capital to do so. With that said, on an offense-focused team, it’s a move that lines up with their team-build.

At some point, the Rams are going to have to select a wide receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft. Whether that’s in the first round or the third round is yet to be seen. The question is whether or not the gap between Odunze and that tier of players is large enough to warrant the move needed to select him in what is considered a deep wide receiver class. By Harmon’s analysis, Odunze is an elite-level wide receiver prospect and therefore the answer would be yes. If the Rams want to put the best pieces around Stafford in 2024 and 2025, adding a player like Odunze makes a lot of sense.