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Chris Odom: Houston’s Newest Defensive Player of the Year

USFL’s year end award given to Houston Gambler

NFL: Preseason-Atlanta Falcons at Jacksonville Jaguars Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

While there’s something to say about a big fish in a small pond, there’s no doubting defensive end Chris Odom’s dominance in the USFL in 2022.

Not only was Odom the only USFL player with more than nine sacks, the former member of the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers and Miami Dolphins notched 12.5 in the 21st century Gambler’s inaugural year.

Player Sacks

Chris Odom 12.5

Adam Rodriguez 9.0

DeMarquis Gates 6.5

Davin Bellamy 5.5

Carlo Kemp 5.0 (tied)

Reginald Howard Jr 5.0 (tied)

Extrapolated across an NFL 17-game season, Odom’s performance projects to 21.5 sacks, which puts him in rarified air for sure. Granted the USFL doesn’t have the NFL’s level of talent and competition, but 12.5 sacks in an NCAA season would certainly get a player drafted early.

Time for Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio to bring Odom into the fold where he can play for a real Houston team.