"Punctured a lung in Arizona": Nick Saban impressed by Rome Odunze's grit & mental toughness story as Bears pick former Washington WR in round one
Legendary former Alabama head coach Nick Saban had kind words for former Washington Huskies RB Rome Odunze, who recently got picked by the Chicago Bears as the ninth overall selection in the first round of the NFL Draft.
As Odunze walked from his table towards the draft stage, Saban (broadcasting as part of ESPN`s coverage) talked about how impressed he was with the mental toughness of the young man. Notably, the 6-foot-3, 215-lb native of Las Vegas suffered a punctured lung in late September as a result of an in-game collision:
"This guy, I said it earlier, he`s a dog, man. He`s a great competitor, he`s a big body, uses his body well, he`s got enough speed to get away from people. He`s a power forward out there playing wide receiver."
Saban continues:
"The story about this guy [is he] punctured a lung in Arizona, driving all the way back to Seattle `cuz he couldn`t travel with the team. They had a bye-week the next week, he goes and plays against Oregon the next week, and wins the game. I mean, how many players [have] that kind of mental toughness?"
The game that Nick Saban mentioned was the one that Rome Odunze and the Huskies played against Arizona. He suffered a hit from Wildcats kicker Tyler Loop and safety Dalton Johnson, standing right after the blow but then gripping his right midsection afterwards (via The Seattle Times).
Next up on their schedule during that time was Oregon and Odunze still played until he had to be rushed to a hospital in Tucson. There, he was diagnosed with both a fractured rib and a punctured lung. Despite this clearly grave injury, however, Odunze notably played hurt (via Sports Illustrated).
He still led the team in receiving yards in five of their last eight games, which is once again a clear testament to his mental toughness.
Rome Odunze`s NFL Draft night
The former Washington WR`s physical gifts notwithstanding, it`s likely this punctured lung story helped convince the Chicago Bears that Odunze is the man to get for them at the ninth overall selection. He followed his teammate Michael Penix Jr. at eighth, who went to the Washington Commanders.
Odunze`s selection was rated as an excellent pick for the Bears (via CBS Sports). Experts believe that the young man`s pairing with Caleb Williams could help build their core for years to come.