Why Odell Beckham should win Offensive Rookie of the year
By Ryan Disdier
During the preseason, I wrote an article about how I believed Buffalo Bills rookie Sammy Watkins would win Offensive Rookie of the Year and get elected to the Pro Bowl. However, after watching Odell Beckham Jr.’s performance over the last 10 games, the New York Giants rookie should be named Offensive Rookie of the Year.
We all know the story so far, so I won’t bore you with details. Basically, Beckham missed all of the preseason and the first four games of the year with a hamstring injury. The reason I originally chose Watkins over Beckham was because I couldn’t even fathom Beckham having a year with more than 850 yards considering the time he was going to miss.
Ever since his debut in week 5, though, he’s been nearly unstoppable. Beckham has beaten all the cornerbacks thrown his way: Brandon Carr, Jason McCourty and even Richard Sherman, just to name a few. Beckham has become the only reliable playmaker on the Giants offense, and he broke Jeremy Shockey‘s Giants record for single-season receiving yards by a rookie.
He has all the natural gifts to succeed, as he’s usually one of the, if not the best athletes on the field. Videos of him kicking field goals in practice and making ridiculous catches in warmups have circulated on the internet, and he even displayed his arm strength in a game against the Tennessee Titans. One writer for NFL.com even compared Beckham to a ‘1980s era Michael Jordan.’ Beckham is special, there’s no doubt about that.
What amazes me the most about Odell is how wildly consistent he’s been. Starting in week 9, this is what Beckham’s game stats look like in terms of yardage: 156, 108, 93, 146, 90, 130 and 143. Beckham has also scored six touchdowns in that span. Beckham is the only rookie wide receiver in NFL history to have seven games of at least 90 yards receiving. Once the Giants started slipping, I dubbed the rest of the season as the “Odell Beckham Show,” and he’s really the entire Giants offense at this point.
Oh, and he also broke the internet after making an unbelievable catch, but you’ve probably already heard about that.
The reason Beckham should win Offensive Rookie of the Year over Mike Evans and Kelvin Benjamin is because Beckham has more yards and receptions than both of them, and he’s played in four less games. That’s not to say Evans and Benjamin are slouches, mind you. Both have had big games, but neither receiver has been a threat week in and week out. With that being said, I wouldn’t be surprised if Benjamin or Evans won, as they’re both having great rookie campaigns as well. That just goes to show how special 2014’s rookie wide receiver class is.
Teddy Bridgewater is another name worthy of consideration. It’s ironic, because Bridgewater was initially regarded as the best quarterback in the draft before a poor pro day hurt his stock. However, it’s Bridgewater who’s laughing now, as he’s having the best year out of all the rookie quarterbacks taken in the first round.
Dallas Cowboys rookie offensive lineman Zack Martin is also a legitimate candidate to win OROTY. Martin has been beyond stellar all season long, and he’s been one of the reasons why Dallas’ offensive line is finally playing good football. However, history does not work in Martin’s favor, as no offensive lineman has ever won Offensive Rookie of the Year. Oakland’s Derek Carr is also a possibility, albeit an unlikely one. Though rookie quarterbacks have had worse stats than Carr and been named Rookie of the Year (Vince Young). Then again, Young didn’t have to contend with Benjamin, Evans and Beckham.
We’ve seen it all from Beckham. The insane catches, the go-routes, the catch-and-run, the catch in traffic, everything. The dude really just has the “it” factor that you can’t coach. Beckham currently has 972 receiving yards, and he should eclipse 1,000 yards, barring something crazy. He has been the entire Giants offense since he broke out against Indianapolis. When he plays well, the offense typically plays well. He’s already having the kind of impact of his offense that players like Calvin Johnson have on theirs, in the sense that their production is crucial if the team wants to succeed. Defensive coordinators are always concerned with where number 13 is, which is why the Giants have found some success using him as a decoy.
I was able to be in attendance for Sunday’s game against Washington, and the reaction Beckham got from the crowd was truly remarkable. Beckham caught 12 balls for 143 yards and three touchdowns in that game. When someone asked me if the Giants looked good, I said, “No. Odell Beckham looked good.” That’s been the story as of late for the G-Men. This kid elevates the whole team.
In only 10 games, Beckham has endeared himself to Giants fans everywhere and he’s probably the most popular player on the team. Beckham is shining bright, even with defenses becoming more vigilant of his whereabouts.
Although it’s unclear as to which rookie wide receiver will have the must successful career, I think Beckham should end his sensational rookie campaign by being named Offensive Rookie of the Year. His highlight reel catches, his crisp route running and his natural athleticism have helped him dominate this year. If Beckham is named Offensive Rookie of the Year, he only be the second New York Giant to ever win Rookie of the Year, as Lawrence Taylor was named Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1981.
Not bad company for the wide receiver who missed the first four games.