OBJ in College

He was very very good. Best player on the field most of the time. IMO had a lot to do with the offense LSU ran. Also didn't have a QB nearly as good as Eli. The bowl game last season he had Anthony Jennings who is a pitiful QB. Odell still had a sick one handed catch. Didn't have a lot of yards, but Jennings only passed for 80 yards and Jeremy Hill ran for over 200.

entering the draft. i dont remember paying much attention - i was too enamored with Sammy Watkins....

I would assume the Giants staff has done a better job of taking advantage of his talents than his college coaches did.

Alabama's defense was probably better than a few pro teams. lol

Maybe Eli deserves a helluva a lot of credit here as well.

The all time sec single season all purpose yardage record (hes 3rd all time, ahead of some greats). He was an all American, he started as a true freshman at Lsu(ahead of Landry). There was a time during his junior year his name was being at least mentioned as a possible heisman. He was one of a pair of 1000 yard receivers, and had Jeremy Hill at rb...so they weren't just force feeding him...lsu was pretty balanced with run and pass..but he averaged over 19 yards a catch. I mean, he went 12th overall so he clearly was regarded as an excellent football player...dont think anyone could have predicted this level of success. .but having a QB with Eli's experience and ability can't be understated. I like Beckham much more than Evans or Benjamin and always have, but there is no question a guy like Watkins would be better with Eli working with him. That being said, Beckham obviously seems like a great fit with Eli, and the connection they have on the field only seems to be getting stronger. Beckham seems like the anti Randle in regards to his chemistry with Eli. Even as quick of a study as Nicks was there were still some miscues here and there, but Manning and Beckham just seem relentlessly on point in recent weeks.

With regards to his phenomenal catches and athleticism, that was all displayed in college, but OBJ made a quantum leap as a WR from his sophomore to his junior year, and it looks like he made yet another quantum leap this past year, which is scary as he was transitioning to the pros ans thats supposed to be hard, but he is making it look easy.

on youtube.. you could see how he separates, and changes direction, at high speeds and the difficulty people had staying with him. He didn't always get the ball at the right time, in the right window. He's with a world class quarterback now, in the right offense.

After watching these clips.. I moved him way up. I had him above Evans but behind Watkins. I was thrilled when we picked him, despite the dire need for OL.

Watkins, Evans, OB/marquise Lee/kelvin Benjamin

I'll never forget the day after we drafted him, I have a true Cajun man that I work with, huge LSU fan, knowing I was a giants fan he came over to me and said "ding dong dang you can throw the ball up, that boy catches everything"

there were absolutely signs. His hands didn't come out of nowhere. He was doing this regularly in college. His route running was well known. I think people were downgrading him a little because of his height. The more I watched Beckham the more I loved him. I remember starting a thread asking if we can steal him in the second round. This was early in the process. He slowly kept rising up draft boards. Right around draft time some people had Beckham right there with Watkins and it just came down to preference. Most draft people on tv or online had him in the top three/four.

I don't know how anybody could watch his game tapes and not love him. Now, with all of that said, nobody knew he would be this good.

In comment 12050289 robbieballs2003 said:

Quote:

there were absolutely signs. His hands didn't come out of nowhere. He was doing this regularly in college. His route running was well known. I think people were downgrading him a little because of his height. The more I watched Beckham the more I loved him. I remember starting a thread asking if we can steal him in the second round. This was early in the process. He slowly kept rising up draft boards. Right around draft time some people had Beckham right there with Watkins and it just came down to preference. Most draft people on tv or online had him in the top three/four. I don't know how anybody could watch his game tapes and not love him. Now, with all of that said, nobody knew he would be this good.

This is truth... Mike Evans had good hands and is 6'5. Sammy Watkins has good size being a little taller than Beckum and about 20 lbs larger and in college Watkins showed explosive run after catch ability..

OBJ was known as a good route runner with good hands..

I would almost venture to say that if Mike Evans and Sammy Watkins had Eli throwing the ball instead of Josh McCown and Kyle Orton they would have better numbers.. I dont know if they would be as exciting as OBJ.. but I think they wouldbe very good..

wasn't throwing him the football

Caught a couple of kick offs one handed

I also don't think Watkins is as good, but that is more debatable.

the screen. So effortless in the gauntlet catching drills. Never fought the ball.

He looked a lot better to me than anyone else even though Watkins was getting all of the hype.

I could not take my eyes off OBJ in college i dont know if it was musburger saying ODELL BECKHAM JR scores again, something infatuated me with the way he played and the amazing catches he made...Obviously i was ecstatic they drafted him

for WR's.

Watkins, Evans, Beckham and Benjamin are all studs in just their rookie years!

I wonder if Evans and Beckham are BOTH on the board who do the Giants take? Hmmm....

I remember being in my car listening to Sirius draft coverage. Sammy Watkins was being interviewed because he was recently drafted. Tampa Bay's selection came up during the interview, and the announcers turned their attention to the pick, and under his breath, you could hear Watkins predict OBJ. No one else picked up on it, but it was great to hear some competitive admiration, especially when NYG got him at 12.

Eli has been throwing to him since high school. Their comfort and rhythm is a major advantage.

It is astonishing how good he is on the highest level because there were games at LSU where he disappeared at times (Alabama especially). Maybe some of that is due to the QBs throwing it to him but he had Mettenberger as QB one year, who was a very solid college QB

I think having Eli as his QB and TC as his coach have done wonders for Odell as a young pro because he never got coached up nearly to that level in college by Les or Cam Cameron

that boy catches everything"

I don't believe anybody actually said ding dong dang...