How Top NFL Draft Prospect Would Feel About Playing For Patriots

New England hasn’t been a very helpful environment for skill position players ever since Tom Brady left the organization.

Still, one of the best wide receivers in the 2024 class would welcome the Patriots calling his name on Draft Day.

On a recent episode of the “Next Pats Podcast,” NBC Sports Boston’s Phil Perry asked Rome Odunze how he would feel about playing in Foxboro, Mass.

“It would be awesome, especially because I’m a West Coast kid. I’ve always wanted to go out to the East Coast and be able to enjoy some of the different things the East Coast has to offer,” Odunze told Perry, as transcribed by NBCSB.

“It would be a completely new experience, and I think that would be fun. And to play for a team that’s had so much success in the past and so many great players come through there and Hall of Famers, I would love to be able to play in that standard and play for a fanbase that is passionate and loves the game. I think those different aspects about it create such a desirable location.”

There seemingly is a very low chance of Odunze breaking into the NFL with the Patriots. New England reportedly will “most likely” use the No. 3 overall pick on a quarterback, but if it ends up targeting a playmaker, Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. presumably would be the target. But Odunze, widely regarded as the second-best wideout in the class, could become a legitimate target for the Patriots if they trade down.

In his latest 2024 prospect power ranking, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. listed the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Odunze at No. 4 behind Caleb Williams, Harrison and Jayden Daniels, respectively.