Chicago Bears general Manager Ryan Poles looked just as surprised as the rest of us when the Atlanta Falcons selected Michael Penix Jr. with the 8th overall pick.
On Thursday, the Bears’ official X account posted footage from the team’s war room during the 2024 NFL Draft. The clip showed Poles and other Bears executives nervously hoping that Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze would fall to them at No. 9.
Poles said that his “gut” told him the New York Giants would select Odunze at 5. Poles was beaming once the Giants picked LSU’s Malik Nabers.
But arguably the most interesting part of the video was Poles’ reaction to the Falcons’ selection at 8 (1:17 mark). Atlanta had felt like a team that could have targeted the Washington wideout. Instead, they went for Odunze’s college QB.
All roads led to @RomeOdunze #1920FootballDr
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) May 24, 2024
Poles’ mouth was agape in disbelief over the Falcons picking Penix. After a moment of shock, Poles and the rest of the Bears’ war room celebrated their team landing Odunze.
Odunze led the NCAA in receiving yards in his final year at Washington. He caught 92 passes for 1,692 yards and 13 touchdowns.
The Falcons’ selection of Penix befuddled both fans and media members alike. The move seemed to have blindsided Kirk Cousins, whom the Falcons signed to a massive deal just a month prior.
