Odell Beckham's supernova rise as a rookie will finish on the cover of *Madden NFL 2016. *
The New York Giants wide receiver won a vote over Rob Gronkowski to determine who should be on the cover this year. Gronk has the Super Bowl title; Beckham has the "wow" factor because of his insane athleticism. Gronk is the best tight end in the league, but Beckham is like Randy Moss in 1999. His ceiling appears limitless.
Beckham was inspiring comparisons to Michael Jordan on our website even before he made that catch. In a sea of wildly talented rookie receivers, Beckham stood apart because of his incredible hands, versatility and strength. Beckham can make defenders miss after the catch or he can run them over. He can take a hit over the middle or go deep.
If we held the 2014 NFL Draft over again, Beckham would likely be the No. 1 overall pick. The athleticism is easy to spot, but Beckham's football intelligence comes through with his ability to set up defenders and run every route.
We've heard some folks wonder if Beckham could be overhyped. We believe that's selling Beckham's rookie season short. We haven't seen anyone like him enter the league at such a high level since Moss. Beckham already averaged more yards-per-game at a position that is normally hard to adjust to at the NFL level.
He's a top-five receiver that may just go in the top five fantasy picks in September. Gronk is great, but Beckham fits right in as a cover boy, and a new face of the NFL.
- The latest Around The NFL Podcast reacts to Tom Brady's four-game suspension and discusses how the ban could alter the AFC East landscape in 2015. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.*
