Rome Odunze’s viral Combine workout moment

Potential Giants’ target at No. 6 stayed on field long after his workout was supposed to be over

Rome Odunze did not break the NFL Scouting Combine 40-yard dash record on Saturday like Xavier Worthy did. He may, though, have set the Combine record for stubbornness.

The Washington wide receiver who could be a target for the New York Giants at No. 6 in the 2024 NFL Draft did something on Saturday night that Combine participants never do. He lingered long after his on-field testing was supposed to have concluded, trying again and again to improve a 3-cone drill time he wasn’t happy with.

After the workout was over and cameras were packed away, Odunze tried over and over. Eventually, his efforts drew the cameras back to the Lucas Oil Stadium field.

“He is the last player out here doing anything. I’ve never seen anything like this, Jamie, at the Combine,” said NFL Network’s Stacey Dales. “This is a top 10 pick in the draft this year in the National Football League.”

From the field, sideline reporter Jamie Erdahl said:

“We came down here and said ‘Rome, what are you doing? You’re the last one out here. He said ‘trying to be faster, I’m trying to be better.’”

I was already a big Odunze fan. This certainly doesn’t hurt my impression of the young man.

“I want to be one of the best to ever play the game and end up in the Hall of Fame,” Odunze had said during his media session on Friday.

The sort of determination he showed Saturday night won’t hurt.

Here are all of Odunze’s official numbers from the Combine: