In 1942, the Green Bay Packers used the 9th pick in the 1st round of the 1942 NFL draft to sign Odson out of the University of Minnesota.
[1] Odson, a consensus All-American,[2] starred on two undefeated NCAA National Championship teams for the Golden Gophers (1940 and 1941).
Odson also was selected to play in the East-West Shrine All Star game.
Odson entered the Navy and played for the legendary World War II Great Lakes football teams that played exhibition games against pro teams.
After brief stops with Chicago and Baltimore in 1950 he joined the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League for one season.