Rome Odunze, Washington Huskies Wide Receiver

My next guest, DOG. That's what he is. Dude, this dude was unbelievable. And he's had a great career at Washington.

You know, when we booked this a few weeks ago, Roma Dunze is here sitting to my left on behalf of Sharpie. I was like, oh yeah, he's going to be a top 10 pick. And now I'm reading the mock drafts, I'm like, he could be a top 5 pick. I thought it was going to maybe be like 7 or 8.

It may be sooner than that. But Roma Dunze, he just had a sensational season at Washington. One of my favorite stories of the year with Kalen DeBoer. Michael Penix Jr. is here with us. Roma, appreciate the time. How are you? I'm doing great. I'm doing great. I'm back in my hometown. So to me, all you guys are visitors in my spot. I'm back home and I'm excited to be able to do all these different things.

I'm out here with Mike as well and Sharpie. So I'm having a lot of fun with it. It's so funny to me. You had a great season. Your team had a great season this year.

You make it to the national championship game. And it's so stupid what these events become and all the media coverage and all the attention. And how many times people just messed up and butchered your name and weren't even like in the right ballpark. And you had fun with it though because some guys, you know, I don't blame them if they take that personally. Yeah, no, for sure. I mean, I know my name's been mispronounced ever since I was young.

It's a tough one. So it was funny seeing some of the bigger names like just completely like butchered. It was like Stephen A. I think you went after.

Yeah, there was a little bit of Stephen A. I think Scott bad then pelt mess. That was the one on Twitter. Yeah, on Twitter. But he came back and on Twitter. He was like, my bad, man. He was real professional about it. So it was funny. And then there was one that was just that ESPN put out. It was just absolutely insane.

I have a screenshot of it. But it's just funny to me, you know, it just kind of fed into the realm of like, you know, they still don't know, you know, about Washington football. They don't know about us.

So you need to go out there and do more. So it's fun. Well, that was the crazy part to me. And I'm not just saying this because I got the prediction right. I picked you guys to win the Pac 12 before the start of the season. And even when you guys already beat Oregon, which was a great close game the first time, it was all your nine and a half point underdog going into the Pac 12 championship game, even against Texas. After you beat Oregon twice, you're an underdog. I made some good money in that Texas game because I was like, all right, even if they lose, they're not going to lose by more than six, six and a half point. It made no sense why everyone kept on doubting you guys this year.

Yeah, no, I agree. I think, you know, I think you pay close attention and I appreciate you for that. You know, you knew the story of the team, you know, you know, the previous season, what we had and just a few the few missed clicks that that kept us from, you know, going super far last season as well. So having the whole squad back to season with new, new improved improvements, you know, we knew how far we were going to go. So it was laughable for us to see, you know, people continue to doubt us and and on that stage. But it was fun. It just added more fuel to the fire. And when we won those games, it was a little bit shove it in their face. You may have had a different perspective on this Roma Dunes day if you were coming back to Washington, because that's like a personal thing. When the coach leaves, you know, guys got to do what's in the best interest for for them. I just like what you're doing in the best interest for you and what other people will do. It's business.

It's part of it. But if you're someone at Washington, I know it's a changing landscape in college football. I understand why players would be upset. You'd rather be upset that a coach is leaving than saying, yeah, you know, good job that this guy's leaving.

Kaitlyn DeBoer is phenomenal. When you got that kind of news and you saw that he was going to Alabama, how'd you kind of process it? Oh, man, it hurt. It hurt me, honestly, because I thought, you know, I thought he was going to be there for a long time. And I thought, you know, he was going to continue to build something special. And I just felt for Washington because, you know, with a head coach leaving, there's just so much uncertainty and you never know what's going to happen. But, you know, I was I was excited, you know, for the future in the same room, because, you know, University of Washington is going to get a great coach.

And they have a great coach, Coach Fish. And I'm excited for that new staff as well. So it was bittersweet, you know, new beginnings and things are ending. But, you know, I think Washington football is going to get it done regardless. We all change jobs.

It's cutthroat in all businesses. It's it's part of it. But to see right, Jed Fish, DeBoer leaves, then Jed Fish, Arizona people talking about them being a playoff team next year that he goes to Washington. It's like, oh, Arizona, your season's over even before it started. It's it's a wild time in college football. Wow.

Yeah. Just the certain the rotation of coaches. I mean, that's why, you know, it's exciting to be able to see, you know, the opportunities for the players to finally be able to have some say in it, too.

You know, being able to be in the portal and and be be in a spot where they feel like they're comfortable and and they're able to have success. So, man, college football, there's no regulations. It's like the wild, wild west with, you know, NIL and people being able to leave without any without any, you know, repercussions. It's it's crazy. But it's exciting. That's kind of kind of the field of college football, right? It's exciting. It's new. You never know what's going to happen.

And it's definitely not, you know, scripted in any way. Talking to Roma Dunze right now. A few years ago, we just had Justin Jefferson on right before you came on. He came on this show right after he got drafted and he goes, the teams that passed up on me, they're going to pay. I'm going to be the best wide receiver out of this draft class in the NFL.

What type of player do you think you could be? Because this is on paper an awesome early wide receiving draft class. Right.

Yeah. No, there's a bunch of a bunch of great receivers in the draft this class. And I think, you know, we all provide, you know, different different skill sets. And I think, you know, I mean, unique in that way as well. I think I'll come into the league and have an immediate impact. You know, I'm looking to come into the league to be be a Hall of Famer. And I'm not just looking to be, you know, one of those one time names that people heard about having a good season. I'm looking to come in and make a great impact. I want to win a Super Bowl. I want to do big things. So, you know, my work ethic and the way I'm approaching it, I want to make the impact heavy because people have been able to do it.

Like you said, Justin Jefferson, Jamar Chase are able to come in early and have that success. So I'm looking to go along that same path. Let's say I'm an NFL general manager. I'm interviewing you. We're at the combine.

Why should I take Roma Dunze? Why should I draft him over Marvin Harrison Jr.? I think, you know, I think I'm the number one receiver.

I can't speak to any of Marvin's weaknesses or strength. But I think, you know, I provide a versatility. I could play inside.

I could play outside. I go attack the football, you know, all the all the things on the field from from a wide receiver standpoint. I think I provide, you know, a unique skill set and a special, special prospect in that realm. But also my off the field stuff. You know, I'm a guy that's going to be in that locker room encouraging other guys, you know, looking to make the team better as a whole because I know it's a team sport. You know, regardless of how good I am, you know, it's about, you know, the old line doing their job and the quarterback doing his job and everybody being on the same page as well as the defense as well. So and that included in the community as well. I'm looking to make an impact wherever I go on a bigger scale than just football.

So I think all those aspects. Tell me what you're doing today on behalf of Sharpie. I'm here today with Sharpie. They got me out here in my fresh, you know, Adidas collab. It's nice, right?

It's nice. So they don't just do a great job with with the with the collab. They do a great job with their with their with their pens and their markers. And, you know, I remember having the Sniff Sharpies back in the day. So it's super exciting to be able to work with them.

They got me here with the SGL pen. Super smooth, super silky. And it doesn't it doesn't bleed.

It doesn't smear. And it's what I'll be using to sign my my first NFL contract. And they'll be able to be right there along me with all the contracts I'll be signed in my rookie year. So I'm super excited to be partnered with them. Well, it's funny, I have a Sharpie right here. We have a poster board. We've been having people sign this all throughout the week. What's on this day? Will they get engaged eventually?

Travis, Kelsey, Taylor Swift. Do you think we're going to the wedding bell season here? Yes. I'm on the yes. I'm waiting for someone to say no. No one's had all these tough NFL players soon to be stars. No one say no.

A few maybes in the middle. But we'd love you to sign this. And best of luck. We appreciate you jumping on board with us today. And man, seriously, what a great season you guys had.

The last thing that I'll just ask you, is it just surreal? Like we're sitting here. You're getting ready for the NFL draft. You just were in the national championship game.

And now you're getting projected as like a top five pick. It's got to be crazy how quickly life moves by. It's crazy. It's crazy. And this year, I mean, it's just been so crazy.

Just the roller coaster of the season and all the different motions that that brings going straight into training, going straight into, you know, seeing draft projections here and there being in the first round, you know, it's a dream of mine. And it's where exactly where I want to be. So it's awesome. And I'm just taking it all in step by step. But, you know, continuing to stay grounded and do the things that got me to this point in the first place. So I find peace in that. And, you know, through my support system, I'm able to get a lot of support in that way. So, man, I'm just super grateful, super excited to be where I'm at. Well, good luck. Nothing but the best. Appreciate you doing this. When something happens to your car, you might say.

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