NFL Draft: 3 Teams Odell Beckham Jr. Made Regret Passing On Him
By Bob Evans
Sep 24, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham (13) makes a catch for a touchdown in front of Washington Redskins cornerback Bashaud Breeland (26) during second half at MetLife Stadium. The New York Giants defeated the Washington Redskins 32-21.
Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
When looking back at past NFL Drafts, it is easy for fans and teams to get caught up in the “what if” game when it comes to players their teams passed on. In most cases, we default to hindsight being 20/20—as you can never truly know how players on other teams would have played in different situations and systems.
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However, when looking back at the 2014 NFL Draft it is difficult to understand how so many teams let LSU wide receiver, Odell Beckham Jr., fall past them. In fact, a grand total of 11 teams passed on Beckham Jr., with the youngster falling into the welcoming arms of the New York Giants and a quarterback who knew what to do with him in Eli Manning.
Everyone knows about the incredible catch Beckham Jr. made, as it has been plastered in commercials, played on ESPN on a loop and is the current cover of the Madden 16 video game. What some do not realize is just how great of a rookie season he had, as in 12 (yes just 12) games he caught 91 passes for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns. Through three games this season, he has caught 19 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns.
Putting those historic numbers into perspective, in his first 15 NFL games Beckham Jr. has caught 110 passes for 1,574 and 14 touchdowns. Those are numbers that would be impressive for elite receivers in the NFL, so when you are talking about a player in his first 15 games in the league—that is an incredible feat.
With all of this in mind, any team in the NFL would be lucky to have Beckham Jr., however, only 11 teams other than the Giants had a shot at him. Of those 11, there are three specific teams that need to justify why in a public apology to their fans the reason they passed on this budding 22-year old superstar who will be the centerpiece of the Giants offense for the next 10-plus years.
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