George Odum facts for kids
Odum with the Indianapolis Colts in 2019
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| Position: | Safety | ||||||||||
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| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | November 3, 1993 Millington, Tennessee, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 202 lb (92 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Millington Central | ||||||||||
| College: | Central Arkansas (2013–2017) | ||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2018 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2024 | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
George Odum (born November 3, 1993) is an American professional football player. He plays as a safety and is also known for his skills on special teams. Special teams are the groups of players who handle kicks, punts, and returns in a game.
George played college football for the Central Arkansas Bears. After college, he joined the Indianapolis Colts in 2018. He was not chosen in the NFL draft, so he signed as an undrafted free agent. This means a team signed him after the draft was over. George was named to the 2020 and 2022 All-Pro Team for his amazing special teams play. Being "All-Pro" means he was one of the best players in his position in the entire league.
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Early Life and High School Sports
George Odum was born and grew up in Millington, Tennessee. He went to Millington Central High School. There, he was a great athlete in both football and track.
In his final year of high school, he was chosen as an All-Region player. He played as a defensive back and also returned punts. He also took part in special all-star football games in 2012.
College Football Career
George Odum played five seasons for the Central Arkansas Bears. He "redshirted" his first year. This means he practiced with the team but did not play in games. This allowed him to have an extra year of college eligibility.
He played both linebacker and safety positions. George ended his college career with 350 tackles. This was the fourth-highest number of tackles in his school's history.
In 2016, he was named first-team All-Southland Conference. He made 86 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. He also had one interception that he returned for a touchdown. He forced four fumbles and recovered two.
As a senior in 2017, George led the Bears in tackles. He was named Southland Defensive Player of the Year. He was also chosen as an All-America player. That year, he had 120 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss, and 4.0 sacks.
Professional Football Journey
Playing for the Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts signed George Odum on May 1, 2018. He was an undrafted free agent. He worked hard and made the team after training camp.
George played his first NFL game on September 9, 2018. It was against the Cincinnati Bengals. He played on special teams in that game. On November 18, 2018, he started his first NFL game. This happened because another safety, Malik Hooker, was injured. In that game, the Colts won 38–10 against the Tennessee Titans. George made 6 tackles.
On December 16, 2018, George got his first career interception. He caught a pass from Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. The Colts won that game 23–0. In his first year, George played in all 16 games for the Colts. He had 36 tackles, one interception, and two passes defended.
In 2019, George again played in all 16 games for the Colts. He made 37 tackles. He also forced two fumbles and recovered one. He started one game against the Kansas City Chiefs. In that game, he made six tackles and forced a fumble. The Colts won 19–13.
In 2020, George did not play much on defense. However, he was amazing on special teams. He led the entire NFL with 20 special teams tackles. Because of this, he was named first-team All-Pro as a special teamer. The Colts kept him for another year in March 2021. He signed his one-year contract in April.
In 2021, George played more on defense. This was because other players in the Colts' secondary (the defensive backfield) were injured. He started seven games. He played in 43% of the team's defensive plays that season. George finished the year with 55 tackles. He also had two passes defended, one interception, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. After the season, he became a free agent. This meant he could sign with any team.
Time with the San Francisco 49ers
On March 22, 2022, George Odum signed a three-year contract. He joined the San Francisco 49ers. After his first season with the 49ers, he was named an All-Pro for the second time.
On November 27, 2023, he was placed on injured reserve. This means he could not play due to an injury. He was able to play again on January 20, 2024.
On March 13, 2024, George signed a new two-year contract. This extended his time with the 49ers through the 2026 season. However, on December 7, 2024, he was again placed on injured reserve. On July 19, 2025, the 49ers released George Odum. It was also shared that he had elbow surgery during the offseason.
