Odell Beckham Jr. gets Antrel Rolle's vote for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
Odell Beckham #13 of the New York Giants walks off the field following a victory over the Washington Redskins at MetLife Stadium on Dec. 14, 2014 in East Rutherford, N.J. Credit: Mike Stobe
Should Odell Beckham Jr. win Offensive Rookie of the Year?
"There is no doubt about it, no doubt about it," one of the receiver's biggest cheerleaders, Giants safety Antrel Rolle, said on Wednesday. "There have been some rookies out there obviously making some splash. Mike Evans, a couple other names. But what Odell Beckham Jr. has done in the short period of time that he has been out there, because he battled from injuries at the beginning of the year, the sky is the limit for this guy. I think what he has done for this team and for the league itself has been phenomenal. I am not just saying that because he is my teammate, I am saying it because, outside looking in, I am sure everyone else sees it the same way. Absolutely, there is no doubt about it. Rookie of the Year, Pro Bowl, you name it, I definitely put him up there right now with the elite receivers in this league. He is a threat."
Despite missing the first four games of the season, Beckham leads all rookies with 972 receiving yards and is tied with with former LSU teammate Jarvis Landry of the Dolphins for first with 71 receptions.
Rolle said he hears from opposing players about Beckham all the time, either after games or in casual conversations throughout the league.
"They just say, 'Wow!'" Rolle said. "I tell people it's not a fluke; he is as advertised. It's not something that he just goes out and he goes out and just happens to have this good game. He's a baller."
While Rolle was stumping for Beckham to win the top award this year, his quarterback was less effusive. Eli Manning hedged a bit when asked if Beckham should be named Rookie of the Year. Manning and Tom Coughlin have been on a season-long crusade to make sure that Beckham does not get too full of himself and remains focused on football.
"I haven't seen all the other performances, so I'm probably not qualified to give that answer," Manning said. "He has played very strong and played well for us. He definitely should be in contention, I would think."
Rolle said the most impressive part about Beckham's numbers is that he missed those first four games with the hamstring injury.
"Outside looking in, if you would've taken any other guy and said he will come back and do what he's done in such a short period of time, I don't think anyone would've said he would make that splash that he's made," Rolle said. "I'm happy that he did. He's a phenomenal player and his future is only going to get better."
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
