Okay, so I’ve been diving deep into the 2024 NFL Draft prospects, specifically these two wide receivers: Rome Odunze and Malik Nabers. It’s been a bit of a rabbit hole, and I wanted to share my process and what I’ve found so far.
The Start: Basic Stats and Buzz
First thing I did was just get a feel for both players. I mean, you gotta start somewhere, right? I checked out their basic college stats – receptions, yards, touchdowns, all that stuff. Both guys put up HUGE numbers, which got me even more interested. There was also all this online chatter about them, comparing the two, so I wanted to form my own opinion.
Digging Deeper: Watching Game Film
Next, I knew I needed to see them in action. No shortcuts here. I spent hours watching game film on both of them. I tried to find full games, not just highlight reels, because you know, highlights only show the good stuff. I wanted to see their routes, how they handled press coverage, their blocking (which is super important, even for receivers!), and how they reacted when things didn’t go their way.
- With Odunze, I noticed his incredible hands and body control. He just snatches the ball out of the air, even in tight coverage. It’s impressive.
- Nabers, on the other hand, I found his speed and explosiveness are just ridiculous. He can take the top off a defense in a heartbeat. This is a great tool.
The Note-Taking Frenzy
While watching, I was furiously taking notes. I had a notebook for each player, jotting down things like:
- “Odunze – great hands on contested catches.”
- “Nabers – so fast off the line of scrimmage.”
- “Odunze – solid blocker, really puts in effort.”
- “Nabers – could improve route running on short routes.”
It was a mess, honestly, but it helped me keep track of my observations and compare them later.
Trying to Be Objective
I tried really hard to be objective, I wanted to see how they did with my own * is where I started to see them more critically.
The Ongoing Process
The truth is, I’m still figuring it out! It’s not like I have a definitive answer yet. I’m planning to watch even more film, maybe look at some advanced stats, and see what other people I trust are saying. It’s a process, and I’m enjoying the deep dive. Will share more later!
