Here's everything you've got to know about Odell Beckham Jr.
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Odell Beckham Jr.
In less than two seasons in the NFL, Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has taken the league by storm to quickly emerge as one of the top players in all of football. It's not just the mind-blowing stats he's putting up at record pace that has people turning their heads, but also the unmatched style & flare in the way he goes about doing his job.
While ODB is already being mentioned in the same breath as legends like Jerry Rice and Michael Irvin, he's made it a point to carve out his own path and do things unlike any other who has come before him.
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He's already breaking records
Among the vast NFL records, Odell Beckham Jr. is already the fastest to reach 100 career receptions (14 games) and most receptions in his first 15 games of his career (110).
Odell also has set the record for the most receptions in a player's first two seasons.
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He's on the Madden 16 cover
Beckham Jr. set yet another record when he narrowly edged out Rob Gronkowski for the cover of EA Sports Madden 16 to become the youngest player to ever grace the cover. And as far as that dreaded Madden Curse is concerned, so far so good for ODB.
(Photo: EA Sports)
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The catch heard 'round the world
Beckham Jr. could retire tomorrow and still go down as having made one of the most unbelievable plays in league history.
Midway through his rookie season in a game against the Cowboys, ODB made a ridiculous, jaw-dropping one handed catch of what appeared to be an overthrown pass from Eli Manning. On top of that, ODB was interfered with, too.
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He broke Twitter
Beckham Jr.'s physics-defying catch took place during a game on primetime television with millions watching, so the reaction was fierce and immediate. Twitter exploded and superstar athletes across the world paid tribute, including this bit of high praise from LeBron James:
"Man I just witnessed the greatest catch ever possibly by Odell Beckham Jr! WOW!!!!"
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He's an ESPY award winner
On top of "The Catch" being universally lauded as the best play of the 2014 NFL season, it also received an ESPY award for being the best play in all of sports last year.
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He was a high school superstar
Beckham Jr.'s once-in-a-generation athletic ability was already evident during his high school years in New Orleans. He starred on both offense AND defense, and was named to the Times Picayune 2011 Blue-Chip list following his senior season. Beckham Jr. also lettered in track and basketball because, well, he's Odell Beckham Jr.
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Respect from his elders
It's extremely rare for a rookie in the NFL to draw respect from the veterans, especially from players on the opposite side of the ball. None of that mattered to Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman when his team faced the Giants last season. Following their game, Sherman asked ODB if they could exchange jerseys, telling the then-rookie "you're the real deal."
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What will he wear next?
Almost as exciting as his play on the field are the custom cleats Beckham Jr. wears, which have included design themes such as the American flag and Charlie Brown.
Earlier this season, ODB commemorated an all-New York match up between the Giants and Jets by breaking out this pair featuring the NYC skyline.
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Credit: Robert Deutsch, Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports -
He set a Guinness World Record
With the help of Saints QB Drew Brees, Beckham Jr. set a Guinness World Record earlier this year for the most one-handed catches in one minute. This wasn't during a game, obviously, but still pretty darn impressive nonetheless.
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He's reached celebrity status
Beckham Jr.'s first year-plus in the NFL didn't just net him football honors, he's also built himself a pretty respectable status among celebrities. The roster of celebs that ODB has been spotted with already includes names such as Drake, Spike Lee, Amber Rose, and David Beckham.
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He was the prize of the 2014 NFL Draft
The Giants selected Beckham Jr. No. 12 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. Considering how some of the players picked before him have performed so far -- we're looking at you Jadeveon Clowney and Justin Gilbert -- the Giants are feeling pretty thrilled about how things have played out thus far.
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It's in his DNA
Odell isn't the only member of the Beckham family to once be a star athlete at LSU. His father, Odell Beckham, Sr., was a running back for the Tigers from 1989-92, and his mother, Heather Van Norman, was an LSU All-American and national champion in track from 1991-93.
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He's the pre-game show
Those crazy one-handed grabs Beckham Jr. regularly makes are no accident; a big part of his pre-game workout routine includes catching passes this way. Fans took notice and have started showing up to games early just to watch him work out, a la Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire taking batting practice back in the day, or Stephen Curry's pre-game routine with the Warriors.
(Photo: USATSI)
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He's a Pro Bowler
Beckham Jr.'s monster rookie season netted him a selection to the 2015 Pro Bowl where he hauled in a 48-yard pass from Lions QB Matthew Stafford.
ODB is already a lock for the 2016 Pro Bowl, and most likely every other Pro Bowl for the rest of his career.
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The expectations are HUGE
To get an idea of how big the expectations are for Beckham Jr. in New York, look no further than this quote from Giants owner John Mara:
"For me, you would have to go back to 1981 (the year they drafted Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor) before we were that excited about a rookie coming in and what he could possibly mean to this franchise. I hesitate to say that because I do not want to put that much pressure on him, but he certainly has brought a lot to this organization."
But hey, no pressure right?
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Credit: Kevin Hoffman, Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports -
The Catch 2.0
It will be tough, if not impossible, for Beckham Jr. to ever have a catch more spectacular than "The Catch". That won't stop him from trying though, as evidenced by this insane catch during a recent game against Washington.
(Photo Credit: USATSI)
Credit: Geoff Burke, Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
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