Philadelphia Eagles Draft Rumors: Odell Beckham Jr. in trade up?
Odell Beckham Jr. (3) on a kick return. Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
LSU Tigers wide receiver prospect Odell Beckham Jr. is my second-ranked WR (it’s basically a tie with Mike Evans, but OBJ gets the nudge due to his incredible all-around skill-set), and he would be a big catch for the team that lands him. Beckham Jr. could go as high as somewhere in the top ten (the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions are squarely on the radar), and I can’t see him slipping past the New York Jets, who have the 18th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
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According to the MMQB’s Peter King, the Philadelphia Eagles “want in on the prime receiver action”, and the player they seem to be focusing in on is Beckham Jr. Per King, Eagles GM Howie Roseman has spoken with at least two teams picking in the middle of the first round in order to try and fetch a good deal that will allow them to trade up for OBJ, but it doesn’t sound like they are going to trade up unless if the price is right.
The fact that the Eagles are considering trading up for a top WR in this year’s class is interesting enough, but it is especially interesting to see that Beckham Jr. is their prime target. King reports that Marqise Lee would be the likely consolation prize for the Eagles if they can’t land the LSU stud receiver, and Lee is a very talented player in his own right. But OBJ is on a different level, and he has much better hands than Lee. For a full draft profile on Beckham, check out this piece.
Anyway, the Eagles could go in a number of directions with the 22nd pick in the draft, so watch closely for Roseman moving up to take Beckham Jr. He’s an elite talent with a well-rounded game, and he would add yet another dimension to an already-explosive offense. There is so much depth in this year’s draft at WR that trading up for one might not be the best option, but the Eagles are wise to at least consider trading up for Beckham Jr., as long as the price is right. Who said there is anything wrong with due diligence?