Whether its his extra work with Caleb Williams or his prolific note-taking, Rome Odunze stays ultra prepared

LAKE FOREST – The Chicago Bears wrapped up practice on a recent fall afternoon and the team huddled up as it does at the end of every practice. Head coach Matt Eberflus addressed the team, then handed it over to the players to break down the huddle.

Afterward, players dispersed. Most headed inside toward the locker room. Rookie first-round draft picks Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze remained on the field, as they do after most practices. Williams and Odunze like to squeeze in 10 or 15 extra reps after practice every day.

“I think it pays off and we’re going to keep doing it because we want to, obviously, build that connection, that trust and belief in each other,” Williams said.

But on this day, Bears wide receivers coach Chris Beatty made sure to talk to Odunze before he started his post-practice session with Williams.

“He was like, ‘Hey, not a lot of routes today after practice,’” Odunze recently told the Shaw Local News Network.

NFL teams are tracking their players at all times. Many teams use tracking sensors inside players pads or jerseys. It lets them know how much they are moving around on a given day during practice sessions.

With Odunze, the Bears feared the rookie was moving too much. Rest and recovery is just as important as the extra routes.

“There’s fine line between working too hard but being smart,” Beatty said. “We’re trying to figure that out, but at the same time, you never want to hold him back from trying to get better.”

The 22-year-old Odunze laughed it off, but he knows his coaches are just looking out for him.

“I’m that sort of player that you’re going to have to have to tell me to calm down,” Odunze said. “I just try and work at everything that I feel like is a weakness or something that I missed during the week that I want to make sure I get a good rep of so that way in the game it’s perfect.”

Two weeks ago, Odunze had a big game in Indianapolis. After the game, Williams credited those extra sessions. The No. 9 overall pick caught six passes for 112 yards and his first NFL touchdown. He was the team’s top receiver during a game in which Williams threw for 363 passing yards.

Odunze’s deep-ball potential was apparent in that game. His biggest gain of the afternoon was a 47-yard deep toss from Williams.

On most teams, Odunze would be the star rookie addition. But with the Bears selecting two of the first nine picks in April’s draft, Williams is – rightfully so – drawing a ton of the attention. Odunze is happy to work in the shadows early on during his rookie season.

He’s also trying to find room in a crowded offense that features veteran receivers DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, plus top tight end Cole Kmet.

From the earliest visits with Odunze at the NFL Scouting Combine and on his official visit to Halas Hall, what stood out the most was Odunze’s polish and preparation. That has carried over into the regular season.

Most players take notes during position meetings, but Beatty says Odunze takes more notes than maybe any player he has ever had.

“It’s almost like every meeting’s a class,” Beatty said. “He takes that many notes on everything.”

It’s almost like every meeting’s a class. He takes that many notes on everything.”

—  Chris Beatty, Bears wide receivers coach

It’s a practice Odunze began when he showed up at Washington in 2020. Odunze said he has received compliments about his handwriting before, although he thinks his writing is a little sloppy. For him, though, it’s not about how the page looks.

He’s a firm believer that writing things down helps him retain information. The margins of his notebooks are also filled with reminders like: “Be great,” “Be a dawg,” or “Compete.”

“It’s important for us to continue that skill just for your mental and your brain development,” Odunze said. “But it just helps me confirm it in my brain. It’s a lot of information that we receive. Writing it down is like a confirmation that OK, this is what I need to do on this play or this is what I need to remember.”

Whether it’s the notes or the extra practice reps, the Bears coaching staff can rest easy knowing that Odunze is going to be prepared come Sunday. They don’t need to provide him with any extra motivation.

“All you want to do is make sure that you continue to put him in the right direction,” Beatty said.

It helps, too, that he’s 6-foot-3 and can run a 4.45-second 40-yard dash. The note taking and the practice reps might impress his coaches, but his teammates are most impressed by what they see on the football field during games.

Moore can’t believe Odunze’s quickness for his size. On one particular play last week against the Los Angeles Rams, Odunze and Moore lined up next to each other. Odunze was so quick at the snap that Moore found himself wondering if he, Moore, was too slow.

“His speed and confidence out there,” Moore said. “He’s just going out there and playing free.”

It might look effortless on tape, but it’s all those little things Odunze does during the week – the extra reps, the notes – that make it look easy.