Rookie Odell Beckham Jr. Adds Firepower to New York Giants’ Arsenal
New York Giants first-round draft pick Odell Beckham Jr. made his highly-anticipated NFL debut last week against the Atlanta Falcons. The rookie is as good as advertised.
Beckham made an immediate impact in his first action since overcoming a hamstring injury suffered in training camp, catching four passes, including the go-ahead touchdown in a comeback victory over Atlanta. The playmaking wide receiver from LSU promises to deliver even more firepower to an offense that has found its footing heading into a prime-time NFC East showdown vs. the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night.
Beckham has big-play ability written all over him and he is likely to become one of quarterback Eli Manning’s favorite targets. Against the Falcons, Beckham looked like anything but a rookie playing in his first NFL game. He showcased his speed, strength and soft hands on his 15-yard touchdown catch when he drove cornerback Robert Alford to his outside in the end zone and cut back inside to catch the ball at its highest point, out-muscling Alford to make the leaping grab.
If there is a silver lining to Beckham’s injury, it’s that he remains relatively unknown to opposing teams. With very little game film of Beckham to study, opponents are definitely at a disadvantage in preparing for him and trying to anticipate his tendencies.
Beckham has outstanding hands and he proved last week he can make tough catches. In addition, he’s versatile and the Giants expect to utilize him to some degree as a punt returner. While the goal is to bring him back slowly— he played 35 snaps a week ago — Beckham is likely to see increased action against the Eagles and may even have the opportunity to field a punt or two.
Early in the season, the Giants struggled with offense coordinator Ben McAdoo’s West Coast-style offense, dropping their first two games. With the ugly early-season losses clearly behind them, the Giants have rattled off three consecutive victories and are averaging 35 points per game during the streak. Manning has been sharp during the stretch, completing 66.3% of his passes. He has connected on 112 of 169 attempts for 1,174 yards and has a passer rating of 95.6 on the season.
Beckham’s presence on the field is likely to take some of the focus off of fellow receivers Victor Cruz, Ruben Randle and Preston Parker and tight end Larry Donnell. For the success of the offense to continue, the wide receivers must win their respective matchup battles. Judging by early returns, there’s a good chance of that happening.
Already a polished route runner, Beckham is lacking only in experience. While he still has plenty to learn about playing in the NFL, Beckham’s explosiveness provides the Giants with an additional deep-ball threat and he is a perfect complement to the team’s existing corps of receivers.
The versatile and supremely talented rookie gives Manning and Co. another highly dangerous offensive weapon, one they will surely need to contend for a division title.
Michael Compton is a Jacksonville Jaguars writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter at @MWCompton and connect with him on Google.
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