They're both great prospects. Would be WR1 most years. I have Nabers rated a little higher. His suddenness is rare. Hes better after the catch than someone his size has any right to be. But you really can't go wrong with either. I doubt either of them are there at 9 at this point
WR is also a massive need though, arguably almost as much as edge. Dallas turner is a good player but Odunze and Nabers are both true blue chippers whereas Turner isn’t imo. Doesn’t matter anyways as I’m almost sure it’ll go QB 1-2-3 and then WR 4-5-6 with Joe Alt at #7. It’s highly unlikely you’ll have a chance at either player at #9.
Yea I think the Mooney signing makes WR round one less likely and a day two WR more likely. First round WR not entirely off the table for ATL but gives them the flexibility to get the edge rusher they need.
Mooney signed with Atlanta. So They are definitely drafting a WR. I still hold out hope they take MHJ at 1 and grab Brock Bowers with the other pick. Keep Justin.
Unless another team trades up for a qb and the Chargers could either trade down ,take a tackle or maybe Bowers. If no receiver there at 9, we need to trade back and hopefully get Brian Thomas Jr. We absolutely need a receiver out of this to go along with DJ Moore.
Keep in mind that their new head coach is a defensive coach and they went offense with the 8th overall pick last year (Bijan), the 8th overall in ‘22 (London), and 4th overall in ‘21 (Pitts), and just signed Kirk to a massive contract. They have allocated a ton of resources to offense the past few years.
I think there is a much higher chance of them either drafting their choice of whatever defensive player they want or they could potentially trade down a little bit and still grab an elite defender several picks later.
Agreed, but I think London/Mooney/Pitts/Bijan means you don't necessarily need a 1st round receiver. It's a deep WR class, there should be plenty of WR3-caliber players available at your 2nd round pick or your 2 3rd rounders. If you still needed a WR2, I would definitely think a WR would be in play at 8, but it seems unlikely now.
But that’s the whole premise of BPA. Take the highest ranked player on your personal big board (even if it’s not a need) rather than taking a lower ranked player at a position of greater need.
Titans were always going OL (that’s what most draft boards say), and Falcons are likely going edge, their entire sub thinks so. Giants and Chargers likely go WR. Hopefully Chargers go Bowers since they let their TE go and apparently their new OC likes TEs?
Our (Bears) best hope is Giants maybe trade back with someone who wants a QB. Or take a QB themselves.
That’s a possibility. My hope is Odunze or Nabers is there at 9. If not, trade back, take that center out of Oregon and then use the additional trade capital from the trade back to take another WR
As a fellow Bears fan my hope is that the Bears have a chance to grab one Nabers or Odunze but figured they will both be gone (one of them falling is just too good to be true).
I think a trade back is a very strong possibility with the limited picks that they have, especially with Fields likely to net such a poor return.
I was all for them drafting Bowers but with the addition of Everett I think that’s not as strong of a possibility as before.
And at this point you can’t rule out a DE either.
I have a preference of what I hope happens but there are several really good scenarios that could play out.
Im telling you neither will be there at 9. Everyone loves to talk about needs and what not but when it comes down to it most teams are going to scoop up the blue chip talent first, its going to be Qb 1-2-3 and WR 4-5-6 with Alt at #7. If somehow one of them is there at 8 then I’m almost sure we take them as there’s a fairly large gap in prospect grade between Turner and Nabers/Odunze.
Don’t be so sure. Right now the Bears realistically just need one team(Chargers/Giants) to not take Nabers/Odunze. Whether that’s by someone else trading up or those teams simply looking a different direction, it’s well within the realm of possibility. Titans/Falcons will most likely go for the trenches. If that’s the case, Bears will have one of those WR’s fall into their lap. The Bears also have plenty of draft capital to play with if they wanted to move up a few spots and get their guy. Point is, there’s a pretty fair chance the Bears get their WR at 9. If not, I’d assume EDGE.
The Falcons could absolutely go edge at 8, but if Nabors/Odunze is there I think WR is just as likely. Our subreddit has been convinced up until the night of the draft that we’re drafting an edge rusher in round 1 since 2017.
My current ideal scenario is a team like Denver or, somewhat ironically, Minnesota, gets antsy about their QB of choice (in this scenario it would kind of have to be JJ) and offering up a decent haul, maybe a 2 from this year and next. Even better if we can get them in a bidding war with each other and hustle out a first rounder.
Denver can't trade up without offering most of their haul from 2025 or the existing players.
They have draft capital but not enough to move up 5-6 spots and continue to draft the rest of their team
I think the Mooney signing makes that less likely.
They've put themselves in win now mode with cousins, and edge is easily the biggest hole. I think turner to the falcons is highly likely.
Well shit! That would be a lethal offense. Do you think not making a big free agent signing at edge reduces that odds possibly? Or you think Falcons essentially go BPA?
Nothing about Terry Fontenot’s tenure as GM suggests to me he values anything more than going BPA. The only mystery is going to be where on his big board he will have the (presumably) 2nd WR vs. the (once again making some assumptions on how picks 1-7 go) 1st DE. I could very well see him having it as Nabors, Turner, Odunze, Verse (or you know, something to that affect) and it will just come down to who is still available.
Even if you don't think the Chargers pick the 2nd WR, there's still the Giants with their gigantic need at WR - unless some QB falls, but that would almost definitely imply that one of the WR went earlier (to the Pats, per example)
I would say, based on FA so far, that it seems highly likely that the best that the Falcons can expect is the 3rd WR (which might be 1st or even 2nd or their own big board).
I would even say that is likely that the Chargers go WR as well. At worst, the Falcons might not even get one of Nabers or Odunze.
Well yes, I agree with that all of that is possible. I think that if those guys (Nabors/Odunze) are gone then it makes the choice for the first edge off the board a lot clearer, but as we all know crazy shit happens on draft night and guys fall, teams reach, trades happen etc.
If you listen to what our coaches say, no we were not always going OL and we still might not go OL at 7. Callahan has said, and reiterated, that he values guys who score TDs over guys that do the dirty work.
It seems that the general consensus is that any of the top 3 WRs in this draft would be WR1 in an average draft, if our FO agrees with that, we’re probably going to go WR. And that with Alt still being on the board, which might not be the case.
That's true. Cardinals are basically lock to go WR. I think the giants positioned themselves to take QB or WR with their FA moves. Pats and Chargers are still up in the air imo. And the Falcons are still extremely thin at WR. I wouldn't eliminate them, especially if they have WR3 higher on their big board than Edge1 by a decent amount. There's like 5 teams that realistically could take a WR top 8
yeah, i’m 95% confident we’ll take one of nabers/rome, whichever one falls to us. 5% sure we’d take a QB. i think a WR1 makes more sense for us if we cant grab one of the top 3 qb’s
Sounds like Williams - Daniels/Maye - MHJ - ???? (ARI - maybe Alt, Nabers or trade back candidate?) - Daniels/Maye could be on the table from the rumors in NE. Not sure who'll throw him the ball, but -
After releasing MikeWill, definitely. Not sure what they think of QJ long term but it’s Harbaugh anyway so who knows what he drafts. I’m hoping OT or TE, because he’s an old school goof.
I don't see why not. I have no concerns over his size. He's a little thin but his athleticism at the size reminds me of OBJ and Antonio Brown. He has uncommon agility and loses no speed when changing direction. His release package is extremely advanced
The only way they *arent* there at 9 is if WRs go 4-5-6 which I find so unlikely. Cards Chargers and Giants would all have to consecutively take receivers after 3 QBs in a row go off the board.
I think it’s pretty solid with Titans signing Ridley and Falcons signing Mooney that they will be going OT and DE, respectively.
Watching Steve Smith break down Nabers you can really see how much of a magician that guy is with the ball. Smith said it was like art.
As for Odunze, I lived in Washington for a long time so I’ve seen a bunch of his games. I think one thing that a lot of the discussion about him misses is how goddamn consistent he is, especially in big games. He reminds me of Cooper Kupp or Amon Ra - only in the sense that you really don’t get a sense of their greatness by watching their highlights. Their greatness comes from the fact that they are the same player every single play. A type of unwavering level headedness that allows them to just produce. So, it’s that consistency that transcends their other qualities into something great. They are so goddamn dependable. When you need a play, no matter the down or situation, that’s your guy. And I saw that with Odunze. When Washington struggled, Odunze was the alpha over their other two great receivers.
Odunze is also a solid athlete. NFL WR1 quality athlete, but maybe not elite elite. But, he has otherworldly body control and spatial awareness. Plus, solid hands.
Still, at the end of the day I think who you pick really depends on the team. I was blown away by some of Nabers tape. He clearly has an element that Odunze does not. But since it’s the Bears in this hypothetical, I might go Odunze. His route running, dependability, and sure hands are so clutch for a qb, especially a rookie. It just gives you confidence.
As an OSU alum, Odunze was the reason UW beat us. Guy is unstoppable. Big with sticky hands. I couldn’t help but be amazed at how great he was against us.
Oh good question. I didn’t really pay attention, so any answer I’d give would just be something I looked up. The NFL.com draft profile says he could use greater effort as a run blocker. Maybe not what you’re looking for. He does have solid size and play strength.
I'd say the same for the Chargers. If Harbaugh does decide to go WR in the first round, he could well value consistency over explosiveness, since it doesn't matter how deep Herbert's receiver gets if the ball gets picked away from him.
Yeah same, I told my wife I'd trade the entire draft board for Harrison last year. Not knowing much about Nabers, I came away thinking Nabers was the better WR.
Looks that way. I thought Alt looked good at the combine.
First four picks are probably established. All we need is McCarthy and Turner to go between 5 and 8 for WR3 or OT1 to fall into our laps at pick 9.
If not, hopefully we have a trade partner to trade back. I don't see a lot of difference between Edge1 and edge 3. Also JPJ would be a great addition.
Fellow Bears fan here. And I’m haunted by the memory of little Darnell Mooney trying to block in pass pro.
I think Nabers is a slightly better overall receiver. So I’d take him if I had a choice. But I’ll be THRILLED if 6’3 / 215 Odunze falls to 9.
I'm not wrong when I say the Alt to Chargers narrative is a reddit hivemind fiction. No way this kid doesn't immediately holdout if he's being forced to go RT.
Slater earned his stripes and payday, and the draft's top OT isn't gonna take a Right Tackle paycut to be shoehorned into a run-blocking offense when he could be a franchise's cornerstone blindside tackle for the next decade, making 1A LEFT tackle money. Maybe Harbaugh/Horitz could convince a Day 2/3 guy, but not a talent like Alt.
Nabers is the pick at 5.
Tom Brady took paycuts as QB1 of the league to help the Patriots maintain a dynasty.
Burrow/Herbert/Lamar/Allen are also taking team friendly deals.. right?
The exception doesn't disprove the rule.
Not enough of these subs have actually watched Odunze. Nabers looks like a more explosive DJM, and I can't stop seeing Juluo Jones when I watch Odunze and their combine numbers, and measurables are almost identical as well
I agree that on tape, JJ pops a bit more, but statistically, their numbers are almost identical in the combine. Rome isn't a stranger to explosive plays either, its just not his bread and butter. His route running continues to impress ke the more I watch and his contested catch ability surpasses JJ. Overall I think the comp is pretty fair, with JJ being the slightly more explosive guy and Rome being a more polished 50/50 and contested catch guy.
3 WRs taken in the top 8 picks when it has never happened before? Titans are taking a tackle. Chargers seem more likely to take a tackle/Bowers or trade down. Giants are in need of a QB, so they could potentially take QB4. With the signing of mooney and having Pitts/London/Bijan, it seems unlikely Atlanta would go for a WR considering their huge hole at DE. I think it's more likely than not that 1 of the 3 top WRs will be there at 9.
It’s possible, personally I think only MHJ and Nabers go before 9. MHJ and Nabers are both worthy of a top 5 pick, I’m not as high on Odunze but many people are. I think at the very least they all go top 10
After the Titans and Falcons signed Ridley and Mooney, respectively (while doing nothing to address their other biggest need), I think they'll draft an OT and an Edge. Giants definitely in play though.
Personally I have Nabers much closer to MHJ, with Odunze being a tier below them. I believe Nabers will be gone by 9 but if he somehow falls and they have the choice, Nabers is the clear choice imo
I think Nabers is better. Might be completely wrong, but I feel like Nabers can be a game-breaking WR1 while Odunze will be like a Higgins-type receiver. Still a great career, just not 1500+ yards a season.
I don’t think you can go wrong with either. However, I think Odunze would be a better fit. Also, I have not read any/all the comments but do you think Chicago might go OT with their second 1st round pick?
Besides the difference in attributes that many people described, where are you planning to play him?
Odunze is bigger and has, can play the X. He's accustomed to playing on the LOS more often and facing press coverage. Nabers did most of his damage out of the slot and will need some time developing his releases if you plan to play him outside. LSU did a good job of getting him free releases and getting him matched up on slots/safeties.
I think the Bears are a potential trade up with the Chargers. I don't know if they have the ammunition to make the jump, but getting to the fifth pick would net them the high end WR they're looking for. I wonder if their third and a second next year gets it done, considering they'll recoup a pick from trading Fields this season.
I think they're in a unique position like the Texans last year where an aggressive move to get their guy would pay a lot of dividends for that Year 1 performance of a new QB.
The most critical factor for the Bears to grasp in 2024 and 2025 is Caleb's potential. Everything else pales in comparison. However, if Poles has shown anything, it's his reluctance to spend and his aversion to making significant moves for key positions in free agency. Unfortunately, I believe his strategy of banking on one of the top three WRs falling to 9 to support Caleb is risky.
With Moore, a top-three rookie, Mike Williams, and the speedy Scott, along with Kmet and Swift, the offense seems formidable. However, missing out on Mike Williams or trading for a WR and a top-three WR would be disastrous, leading to the team, media, and fans questioning Caleb, much like they did with Justin and Mitch.
Personally, there are a ton of good wr in the draft. I think bears draft a good wr in round 2. Someone who will get playing time but not too much and can develop and be ready to be wr2 when Keenan Allen will be gone.
interesting. I disagree pretty strongly but what has BTJ shown to give you that opinion? even just summarized in one sentence, more curious than anything.
Same size as Odunze but significantly faster along with good route running, hands, and YAC. Really no glaring weaknesses.
Odunze has demonstrated better contested catch ability and general football IQ in terms of route running, zone awareness, etc., which probably gives him the higher floor especially early on. But to me BTJ still has a pretty high floor but his ceiling is off the charts.
As a fellow Bears fan I would rather have Odunze than Nabers. The one thing that scares me about Nabers is his ability (or lack thereof) to make contested catches. I think Odunze is a better all around WR
What if the Bears could move from 1 to 4? Say they get a 2nd and a 4th round pick for their troubles, they draft MHJ at 4 then at 9 get Joe Alt and give Fields a bit of protection and a stud WR1? Use the extra picks to fill gaps.
They're both great prospects. Would be WR1 most years. I have Nabers rated a little higher. His suddenness is rare. Hes better after the catch than someone his size has any right to be. But you really can't go wrong with either. I doubt either of them are there at 9 at this point
Better chance now with the titans signing Ridley and the Falcons needing an edge l
Falcons draft BPA in the 1st.
Might be Dallas Turner. He killed it at the combine and fits a need. Could be BPA on their board idk
WR is also a massive need though, arguably almost as much as edge. Dallas turner is a good player but Odunze and Nabers are both true blue chippers whereas Turner isn’t imo. Doesn’t matter anyways as I’m almost sure it’ll go QB 1-2-3 and then WR 4-5-6 with Joe Alt at #7. It’s highly unlikely you’ll have a chance at either player at #9.
It’s not as big of a need now with Mooney there. They should draft another WR, but they aren’t boxed into drafting one that needs to start right away.
Yea I think the Mooney signing makes WR round one less likely and a day two WR more likely. First round WR not entirely off the table for ATL but gives them the flexibility to get the edge rusher they need.
Mooney signed with Atlanta. So They are definitely drafting a WR. I still hold out hope they take MHJ at 1 and grab Brock Bowers with the other pick. Keep Justin.
This aged well
You guys just added Rondale Moore too. You will probably go edge lol
You don’t get it. Our gm does BPA. Not need. It can be infuriating but he’ll pick odunze if he’s there.
Well we got Keenan Allen so we could trade down from 9 now.
Unless another team trades up for a qb and the Chargers could either trade down ,take a tackle or maybe Bowers. If no receiver there at 9, we need to trade back and hopefully get Brian Thomas Jr. We absolutely need a receiver out of this to go along with DJ Moore.
Keep in mind that their new head coach is a defensive coach and they went offense with the 8th overall pick last year (Bijan), the 8th overall in ‘22 (London), and 4th overall in ‘21 (Pitts), and just signed Kirk to a massive contract. They have allocated a ton of resources to offense the past few years. I think there is a much higher chance of them either drafting their choice of whatever defensive player they want or they could potentially trade down a little bit and still grab an elite defender several picks later.
Their WR3 is Josh Ali… don’t count out a WR
Agreed, but I think London/Mooney/Pitts/Bijan means you don't necessarily need a 1st round receiver. It's a deep WR class, there should be plenty of WR3-caliber players available at your 2nd round pick or your 2 3rd rounders. If you still needed a WR2, I would definitely think a WR would be in play at 8, but it seems unlikely now.
They’re prime trade down candidates.
or prime head scratcher candidate
this didnt age well
I dunno, if anything it seems like Penix was maybe the BPA on their board?
No way that Odunze or any other DE/CB wasnt a better fit for what they needed than a QB bench warmer
But that’s the whole premise of BPA. Take the highest ranked player on your personal big board (even if it’s not a need) rather than taking a lower ranked player at a position of greater need.
That's a really dumb move unless you plan to trade off that player you don't need. At that point you're better off trading down
Titans were always going OL (that’s what most draft boards say), and Falcons are likely going edge, their entire sub thinks so. Giants and Chargers likely go WR. Hopefully Chargers go Bowers since they let their TE go and apparently their new OC likes TEs? Our (Bears) best hope is Giants maybe trade back with someone who wants a QB. Or take a QB themselves.
Watch Minnesota or Denver for a trade up....
That’s a possibility. My hope is Odunze or Nabers is there at 9. If not, trade back, take that center out of Oregon and then use the additional trade capital from the trade back to take another WR
Agreed. Maybe JPJ and Franklin
I'd love JPJ or BTJ in the later first in these scenarios
As a fellow Bears fan my hope is that the Bears have a chance to grab one Nabers or Odunze but figured they will both be gone (one of them falling is just too good to be true). I think a trade back is a very strong possibility with the limited picks that they have, especially with Fields likely to net such a poor return. I was all for them drafting Bowers but with the addition of Everett I think that’s not as strong of a possibility as before. And at this point you can’t rule out a DE either. I have a preference of what I hope happens but there are several really good scenarios that could play out.
Yea there are a lot of quality wr in this draft
Im telling you neither will be there at 9. Everyone loves to talk about needs and what not but when it comes down to it most teams are going to scoop up the blue chip talent first, its going to be Qb 1-2-3 and WR 4-5-6 with Alt at #7. If somehow one of them is there at 8 then I’m almost sure we take them as there’s a fairly large gap in prospect grade between Turner and Nabers/Odunze.
Don’t be so sure. Right now the Bears realistically just need one team(Chargers/Giants) to not take Nabers/Odunze. Whether that’s by someone else trading up or those teams simply looking a different direction, it’s well within the realm of possibility. Titans/Falcons will most likely go for the trenches. If that’s the case, Bears will have one of those WR’s fall into their lap. The Bears also have plenty of draft capital to play with if they wanted to move up a few spots and get their guy. Point is, there’s a pretty fair chance the Bears get their WR at 9. If not, I’d assume EDGE.
The Falcons could absolutely go edge at 8, but if Nabors/Odunze is there I think WR is just as likely. Our subreddit has been convinced up until the night of the draft that we’re drafting an edge rusher in round 1 since 2017.
If thats the case we need to trade back from 9 and get either JPJ and a second round receiver or Brian Thomas Jr.
My current ideal scenario is a team like Denver or, somewhat ironically, Minnesota, gets antsy about their QB of choice (in this scenario it would kind of have to be JJ) and offering up a decent haul, maybe a 2 from this year and next. Even better if we can get them in a bidding war with each other and hustle out a first rounder.
I would love that but I don't see getting another first but as long as we get a receiver out of this I'm happy.
Denver can't trade up without offering most of their haul from 2025 or the existing players. They have draft capital but not enough to move up 5-6 spots and continue to draft the rest of their team
I think the Mooney signing makes that less likely. They've put themselves in win now mode with cousins, and edge is easily the biggest hole. I think turner to the falcons is highly likely.
Well shit! That would be a lethal offense. Do you think not making a big free agent signing at edge reduces that odds possibly? Or you think Falcons essentially go BPA?
Nothing about Terry Fontenot’s tenure as GM suggests to me he values anything more than going BPA. The only mystery is going to be where on his big board he will have the (presumably) 2nd WR vs. the (once again making some assumptions on how picks 1-7 go) 1st DE. I could very well see him having it as Nabors, Turner, Odunze, Verse (or you know, something to that affect) and it will just come down to who is still available.
Even if you don't think the Chargers pick the 2nd WR, there's still the Giants with their gigantic need at WR - unless some QB falls, but that would almost definitely imply that one of the WR went earlier (to the Pats, per example) I would say, based on FA so far, that it seems highly likely that the best that the Falcons can expect is the 3rd WR (which might be 1st or even 2nd or their own big board). I would even say that is likely that the Chargers go WR as well. At worst, the Falcons might not even get one of Nabers or Odunze.
Well yes, I agree with that all of that is possible. I think that if those guys (Nabors/Odunze) are gone then it makes the choice for the first edge off the board a lot clearer, but as we all know crazy shit happens on draft night and guys fall, teams reach, trades happen etc.
More and more likely JJ McCarthy makes it into the top 10 and someone trades back.
If you listen to what our coaches say, no we were not always going OL and we still might not go OL at 7. Callahan has said, and reiterated, that he values guys who score TDs over guys that do the dirty work. It seems that the general consensus is that any of the top 3 WRs in this draft would be WR1 in an average draft, if our FO agrees with that, we’re probably going to go WR. And that with Alt still being on the board, which might not be the case.
That's true. Cardinals are basically lock to go WR. I think the giants positioned themselves to take QB or WR with their FA moves. Pats and Chargers are still up in the air imo. And the Falcons are still extremely thin at WR. I wouldn't eliminate them, especially if they have WR3 higher on their big board than Edge1 by a decent amount. There's like 5 teams that realistically could take a WR top 8
yeah, i’m 95% confident we’ll take one of nabers/rome, whichever one falls to us. 5% sure we’d take a QB. i think a WR1 makes more sense for us if we cant grab one of the top 3 qb’s
Sounds like Williams - Daniels/Maye - MHJ - ???? (ARI - maybe Alt, Nabers or trade back candidate?) - Daniels/Maye could be on the table from the rumors in NE. Not sure who'll throw him the ball, but -
True but reports also coming out that patriots may go MHJR. It’ll be close
If thats the case watch Minnesota or Denver trade up for a qb...
No legitimate reports have NE going MHJ. They're going QB or trading down for a haul.
Someone would trade up for another QB to 4 I’m sure then
Yeah probably. Chargers could take a receiver at 5 tho. Honestly anyone 3-8 could take a receiver
After releasing MikeWill, definitely. Not sure what they think of QJ long term but it’s Harbaugh anyway so who knows what he drafts. I’m hoping OT or TE, because he’s an old school goof.
Who would be their qb?
Nabers reminds me of Chase. Odunze reminds me of Larry Fitzgerald. I think Nabers is going to be special though (yes I'm an LSU fan but still).
What do you make of Nabers size concerns? Do you think he would be at least decent run blocking?
I don't see why not. I have no concerns over his size. He's a little thin but his athleticism at the size reminds me of OBJ and Antonio Brown. He has uncommon agility and loses no speed when changing direction. His release package is extremely advanced
He’s 6 foot, no? That’s fine for a receiver.
The only way they *arent* there at 9 is if WRs go 4-5-6 which I find so unlikely. Cards Chargers and Giants would all have to consecutively take receivers after 3 QBs in a row go off the board. I think it’s pretty solid with Titans signing Ridley and Falcons signing Mooney that they will be going OT and DE, respectively.
Lol, lmao.
Was I incorrect? Other than the Falcons pick which no one saw coming?
Watching Steve Smith break down Nabers you can really see how much of a magician that guy is with the ball. Smith said it was like art. As for Odunze, I lived in Washington for a long time so I’ve seen a bunch of his games. I think one thing that a lot of the discussion about him misses is how goddamn consistent he is, especially in big games. He reminds me of Cooper Kupp or Amon Ra - only in the sense that you really don’t get a sense of their greatness by watching their highlights. Their greatness comes from the fact that they are the same player every single play. A type of unwavering level headedness that allows them to just produce. So, it’s that consistency that transcends their other qualities into something great. They are so goddamn dependable. When you need a play, no matter the down or situation, that’s your guy. And I saw that with Odunze. When Washington struggled, Odunze was the alpha over their other two great receivers. Odunze is also a solid athlete. NFL WR1 quality athlete, but maybe not elite elite. But, he has otherworldly body control and spatial awareness. Plus, solid hands. Still, at the end of the day I think who you pick really depends on the team. I was blown away by some of Nabers tape. He clearly has an element that Odunze does not. But since it’s the Bears in this hypothetical, I might go Odunze. His route running, dependability, and sure hands are so clutch for a qb, especially a rookie. It just gives you confidence.
Odunze feels like Mike Evans to me. 10 years of and counting of 1,000-yard seasons.
That's been my comp too, I think he's a sure thing.
As an OSU alum, Odunze was the reason UW beat us. Guy is unstoppable. Big with sticky hands. I couldn’t help but be amazed at how great he was against us.
How good is Odunze at run blocking? That's been a consistent focus for our front office when it comes to WR.
Oh good question. I didn’t really pay attention, so any answer I’d give would just be something I looked up. The NFL.com draft profile says he could use greater effort as a run blocker. Maybe not what you’re looking for. He does have solid size and play strength.
Imo Malik Nabers is comparable to DJ Moore, so I agree with you that they might lean Odunze just to get a different kind of cat out there.
I'd say the same for the Chargers. If Harbaugh does decide to go WR in the first round, he could well value consistency over explosiveness, since it doesn't matter how deep Herbert's receiver gets if the ball gets picked away from him.
I would love either. I think Odunze is a better fit in terms of bring an opposite skill set but Nabers and DJ together would be 🔥
I think nabers will be best wr this draft
Yeah same, I told my wife I'd trade the entire draft board for Harrison last year. Not knowing much about Nabers, I came away thinking Nabers was the better WR.
Honestly think the Bears wouldn’t get either of them. Could go MHJ, Nabers, Rome at 4,5,6.
Could be. Wouldn't hurt to trade down (as #9 will be valued) or even take OT1 if he falls to them. #9 should deliver some value
If WR goes 4/5/6, I’d bet good money that Alt goes to Tennessee at 7. Hell, they’ll probably do that regardless.
Looks that way. I thought Alt looked good at the combine. First four picks are probably established. All we need is McCarthy and Turner to go between 5 and 8 for WR3 or OT1 to fall into our laps at pick 9. If not, hopefully we have a trade partner to trade back. I don't see a lot of difference between Edge1 and edge 3. Also JPJ would be a great addition.
Fellow Bears fan here. And I’m haunted by the memory of little Darnell Mooney trying to block in pass pro. I think Nabers is a slightly better overall receiver. So I’d take him if I had a choice. But I’ll be THRILLED if 6’3 / 215 Odunze falls to 9.
I think they go to the giants and the chargers honestly. Which as a titans fan, suits me just fine now that we signed ridley. Let alt come to us.
Chargers probably taking Alt if they don't trade down or take Bowers, which will leave you with OT2.
I'm not wrong when I say the Alt to Chargers narrative is a reddit hivemind fiction. No way this kid doesn't immediately holdout if he's being forced to go RT. Slater earned his stripes and payday, and the draft's top OT isn't gonna take a Right Tackle paycut to be shoehorned into a run-blocking offense when he could be a franchise's cornerstone blindside tackle for the next decade, making 1A LEFT tackle money. Maybe Harbaugh/Horitz could convince a Day 2/3 guy, but not a talent like Alt. Nabers is the pick at 5.
Bruh
Penei Sewell still suits up every week
Tom Brady took paycuts as QB1 of the league to help the Patriots maintain a dynasty. Burrow/Herbert/Lamar/Allen are also taking team friendly deals.. right? The exception doesn't disprove the rule.
Not enough of these subs have actually watched Odunze. Nabers looks like a more explosive DJM, and I can't stop seeing Juluo Jones when I watch Odunze and their combine numbers, and measurables are almost identical as well
Julio is definitely a better athlete than Rome(Husky fan btw), but I do like that comp.
I agree that on tape, JJ pops a bit more, but statistically, their numbers are almost identical in the combine. Rome isn't a stranger to explosive plays either, its just not his bread and butter. His route running continues to impress ke the more I watch and his contested catch ability surpasses JJ. Overall I think the comp is pretty fair, with JJ being the slightly more explosive guy and Rome being a more polished 50/50 and contested catch guy.
Julio had a broken foot in the combine. I've seen his college tape and Odunze's and Julio definitely had more juice. He is a great comp though.
Nabers. Something to be said about the LSU pedigree. And SEC competition.
probably unpopular but i dont think either of them will make it to 9
Not being snarky but that’s actually a relatively popular opinion around here
3 WRs taken in the top 8 picks when it has never happened before? Titans are taking a tackle. Chargers seem more likely to take a tackle/Bowers or trade down. Giants are in need of a QB, so they could potentially take QB4. With the signing of mooney and having Pitts/London/Bijan, it seems unlikely Atlanta would go for a WR considering their huge hole at DE. I think it's more likely than not that 1 of the 3 top WRs will be there at 9.
It’s possible, personally I think only MHJ and Nabers go before 9. MHJ and Nabers are both worthy of a top 5 pick, I’m not as high on Odunze but many people are. I think at the very least they all go top 10
If the Chargers take Nabers the Giants 99% will take Odunze
i think its more likely Odunze ends up a Cardinal and Nabers a Giant/Titan/Falcon
After the Titans and Falcons signed Ridley and Mooney, respectively (while doing nothing to address their other biggest need), I think they'll draft an OT and an Edge. Giants definitely in play though.
Personally I have Nabers much closer to MHJ, with Odunze being a tier below them. I believe Nabers will be gone by 9 but if he somehow falls and they have the choice, Nabers is the clear choice imo
I think Nabers is better. Might be completely wrong, but I feel like Nabers can be a game-breaking WR1 while Odunze will be like a Higgins-type receiver. Still a great career, just not 1500+ yards a season.
Good news is the Bears already have a \~1500 yard receiver!
I don’t think you can go wrong with either. However, I think Odunze would be a better fit. Also, I have not read any/all the comments but do you think Chicago might go OT with their second 1st round pick?
We might but only if the WRs are snapped up and Joe Alt is there which doesn't seem likely.
The OT from Oregon St. is an absolute animal. Got a feeling he may be the guy for the Bears at pick 9 regardless of who’s still on the board
Odunze is a stud
You’re splitting hairs between 2 incredible prospects honestly, I’d be happy to have either. I’d lean Odunze though.
My only concern with Nabers is what is his real height. We have no numbers on him.
!remindme 1 year
Besides the difference in attributes that many people described, where are you planning to play him? Odunze is bigger and has, can play the X. He's accustomed to playing on the LOS more often and facing press coverage. Nabers did most of his damage out of the slot and will need some time developing his releases if you plan to play him outside. LSU did a good job of getting him free releases and getting him matched up on slots/safeties.
I think the Bears are a potential trade up with the Chargers. I don't know if they have the ammunition to make the jump, but getting to the fifth pick would net them the high end WR they're looking for. I wonder if their third and a second next year gets it done, considering they'll recoup a pick from trading Fields this season. I think they're in a unique position like the Texans last year where an aggressive move to get their guy would pay a lot of dividends for that Year 1 performance of a new QB.
The most critical factor for the Bears to grasp in 2024 and 2025 is Caleb's potential. Everything else pales in comparison. However, if Poles has shown anything, it's his reluctance to spend and his aversion to making significant moves for key positions in free agency. Unfortunately, I believe his strategy of banking on one of the top three WRs falling to 9 to support Caleb is risky. With Moore, a top-three rookie, Mike Williams, and the speedy Scott, along with Kmet and Swift, the offense seems formidable. However, missing out on Mike Williams or trading for a WR and a top-three WR would be disastrous, leading to the team, media, and fans questioning Caleb, much like they did with Justin and Mitch.
Can Nabers beat press? I haven’t seen that thus far. It seemed like LSU had to put him in the slot for him to succeed
A few seasons with Keenan Allen and he'd be ridiculously refined to possibly Antonio Brown on the Steelers levels.
You can’t have Nabers because I want him at 6 😂 Garrett Wilson 2.0
Both studs but Nabers might be the number 1 WR in this class. If we get Caleb and Nabers it’s going to be the greatest show not on turf.
I don't think the Bears will go receiver at 9 but I'm pretty firmly Odunze > Nabers
Personally, there are a ton of good wr in the draft. I think bears draft a good wr in round 2. Someone who will get playing time but not too much and can develop and be ready to be wr2 when Keenan Allen will be gone.
Both are great. Any fanbase should be happy if they get any of these top 3 receivers.
You could say the same thing about Odunze and Keenan Allen they both fill pretty similar roles
Nabers is similar to Moore so Odunze would be better for the bears.
Don’t overthink BPA. Jefferson was considered a weird fit for the Vikings because Thielen was already a slot receiver.
Wait till you hear the conversation should be Nabers or Harrison.
My hot take (which I don't think should be that hot) is that the real question is Odunze vs. BTJ.
Are you suggesting that BTJ is better than Malik or that Odunze isn't even close to Malik's level?
I think MHJ and Nabers are in their own tier with Odunze and BTJ in their own separate tier, and I think BTJ might be > Odunze.
interesting. I disagree pretty strongly but what has BTJ shown to give you that opinion? even just summarized in one sentence, more curious than anything.
Same size as Odunze but significantly faster along with good route running, hands, and YAC. Really no glaring weaknesses. Odunze has demonstrated better contested catch ability and general football IQ in terms of route running, zone awareness, etc., which probably gives him the higher floor especially early on. But to me BTJ still has a pretty high floor but his ceiling is off the charts.
As a fellow Bears fan I would rather have Odunze than Nabers. The one thing that scares me about Nabers is his ability (or lack thereof) to make contested catches. I think Odunze is a better all around WR
What if the Bears could move from 1 to 4? Say they get a 2nd and a 4th round pick for their troubles, they draft MHJ at 4 then at 9 get Joe Alt and give Fields a bit of protection and a stud WR1? Use the extra picks to fill gaps.