Just What Made Odell Beckham So Good?

Let's take a time out from talking about the draft for a moment, and go back to one of our favorite topics of the last six months or so, Odell Beckham Jr.

After a rookie campaign that saw young Beckham rewrite record after record and electrify the New York Giants and their fanbase, I think we can all agree on one thing: This kid is pretty good. In fact, I'd wager that even fans who root for rival teams, would agree with that sentiment, even Richard Sherman agrees.

But just what made Beckham so good? You know 32 general managers are trying to quantify just that. They want to find their own version of OBJ, and 31 would love to know how to slow him down.

Back in May, I thought Beckham had a strong chance to win Rookie Of The Year, but I backed off on those sentiments as his hamstring injuries forced him to miss practice after practice, preseason game after game, and then the first quarter of the regular season. I thought his polished, precise route running would fit well with what we thought the Giants' offense would look like, and I hoped that his pre-existing relationship with Eli Manning would speed along the acclimation process. I knew his rare blend of speed and quick-twitch athleticism would be difficult for defenses to deal with. And, of course, I thought he and Brandon Cooks were getting the best quarterbacking situations of any of the rookies.

But did I see his rookie campaign coming? Nope, not even a bit. His production would have been stellar for a 16-game season. For 12 games, Beckham's rookie year beggars belief, and it boggles the mind to think about what he could have done if he hadn't missed so much time.

But Matt Waldman did happen to see Odell Beckham coming, at least a bit. And in a new article he offers his theory on what made Odell so good. At least in part.

The ability to ignore inhibition and enter "The Zone" at will is a special one, and perhaps that's part of what worked so well between Beckham and Eli -- who we have seen ignore pressure and elevate his play time and again when the stakes are the highest.

This also enters in to the conversation about whether Odell should tone down his in-game exuberance. If his actions in game are part of his greatness, then the Giants should be very wary of fixing the young man until he is broken.