Odell Beckham Jr.: The Most Electrifying Player in the NFL?

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Jack Dalmolin, Staff Writer

I remember where I was when Odell Beckham Jr. made “The Catch.” It was one of those moments that, witnessed live, was so hard to believe it really happened. I ran up to my bedroom to grab my Giants hat, planning on wearing it while enjoying a classic mid-season battle between the Giants and the rival Cowboys with my family. As I hustled out of my bedroom and back down the stairs to watch the game, I stopped on one of the middle stairs and watched the magic unfold before my eyes. Eli Manning, the Giant’s quarterback, reared back and threw a 50-yard bomb to Odell Beckham Jr., who made a bee-line to the end-zone. Brandon Carr, who was covering Beckham, tugged at his jersey, triggering the refs to throw a pass interference flag. That did not stop Beckham. Odell shook Carr off of him and leaped up, snagging the football perfectly in one hand, seemingly defying the laws of physics as he slammed onto the ground in the corner of the end-zone, managing to hold onto the ball with his fingertips. The crowd exploded, and the announcers were stunned. The 22-year old rookie just made one of the best catches of all time.

Since then, Odell has been on the fast track to fame and has been breaking dozens of records along the way. His impact on the game of football is unprecedented. Odell has trademarked this one-handed catch. Kids playing a game of backyard football can now be seen attempting an amazing catch, screaming “Odell!” in the process – just as one shouts “Kobe!” while shooting a three-pointer in basketball. With one catch, Beckham made a lasting impact on the sport of football – and he only did it with three fingers.

Odell Beckham Jr.’s rise to stardom has been nothing short of amazing. However, Beckham has been a football stud since college. He played for LSU, racking up over 1,000 receiving yards and winning the Paul Hornung Award in his junior year. Odell was selected 12th in the NFL draft by the New York Giants. Beckham has made an immediate impact on the Giants in his first two years, breaking records and toppling insurmountable feats from the first day he donned his blue jersey. Odell has the most receiving yards through his first 16 career games than any player in history. Although he is one of the youngest players in the league, he proves himself each week, and currently averages a little over 100 receiving yards per game; and just incase critics still claim that he is “overrated,” he disproved them by making another mind-blowing, one-handed catch this year against the Redskins.

Whether you love him or hate him, nobody can deny that Odell is an electrifying athlete. From his celebratory dance moves, to his acrobatic catches, he is a spectacle to watch. He comes out every week and plays his heart out. Beckham leaves it all on the field and never leaves the stadium with a clean jersey. He is the playmaker that any quarterback would love to have. When the Giants are in a hole, on 3rd and long and in desperate need of a big play, Manning knows he needs to put the ball in Odell’s hands and let him do what he does best.