Rome Odunze will surely be a first-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. He’s No. 6 on Mel Kiper Jr.’s updated Big Board for ESPN.

Odunze still has one guaranteed game to play at the college level — though he’s hoping for two — but the eyes of the NFL are very squarely on him and the Washington offense approaching a New Year’s Day College Football Playoff semifinal matchup with Texas.

Former UW quarterback Brock Huard was on the Always College Football podcast this week with ESPN’s Greg McElroy to talk about the CFP game and he offered up an NFL comp for Odunze.

“He’s not as big as Mike Evans, but he’s got a lot of the same skillset. He’s not as explosive as Ja’Marr Chase, but there’s a lot of the same skillset,” Huard said. “An NFL scout texted me and he’s like, ‘He’s Davante Adams.’ And I’m like, man, that’s pretty good.

“There’s a lot of similarities. Using your body. You’re covered but you’re never covered. You gain the ultimate trust of your QB at any time. In any one-on-one, they’re gonna look for you.”

Adams, a 6-foot-1 wideout for the Las Vegas Raiders, is a three-time All-Pro and a six-time Pro Bowler. He has more than 10,000 career receiving yards in 10 years in the league and 92 total touchdowns.

Quite the career. At various times throughout, Adams has been considered the best receiver in all of football.

Odunze looks more than capable of being a star in the NFL. He’s 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds with a huge catch radius and an attitude that any ball in his vicinity is his and his alone.

This season, he was a Biletnikoff finalist and an All-American after finishing second in the FBS with 1,428 yards through the air. Odunze caught 81 balls and 13 touchdowns. He opened the season with four consecutive 100-yard outings and heads into the CFP with four consecutive 100-yard performances.

Texas has given up 40 plays of more than 20 yards through the air this season, and 21 plays of more than 30. The secondary has been susceptible to busts, and Washington’s offensive coaching staff is one of the last a gettable defense would want to have to face.

With Odunze, Jalen McMillan, and Ja’Lynn Polk, UW has a trio of receivers as good as any in the country. And Ryan Grubb knows how to get them open with the best of them.

On the largest stage, Odunze could have another huge game.