Rookie Report Card: Odell Beckham, Jr. and Allen Robinson
I’ve decided to put my own spin on the concept of a rookie report card. Going forward, the Rookie Report Card will be exactly what it sounds like, a report card.
Not only will I cover my expectations for the player coming into the league and how he’s performed at the NFL level to this point, I’ll actually give him a grade in three categories. Those categories are performance to date, 2014 potential and long term upside. Each week I’ll cover at least two rookies and try to always include the biggest performers from that particular week.
The series continues with a closer look at Odell Beckham, Jr. and Allen Robinson.
Odell Beckham Jr., WR NYG
Week Seven Stats: four receptions, 34 yards, two touchdowns, one carry, 13 rushing yards
Season Stats: 10 receptions, 106 yards, three touchdowns, one carry, 13 rushing yards
Coming out of LSU, Beckham was one of the premiere pass catchers available in the 2014 draft. In his three seasons on campus he tallied 141 catches for 2,305 yards and 12 touchdowns while also serving as an electrifying return man.
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Beckham’s biggest asset is his speed, using it along with his ability to change directions on a dime to run excellent routes. When the ball is in the air, he demonstrates impressive leaping ability despite being just 5’11” tall, always snatching it at its highest point away from his body and rarely letting it get into his body. Once the ball is in his hands, he’s terrific. He instantly transforms after making the catch into a return man, zigging through defenders and running effortlessly through the defensive backfield.
Although he shared the spotlight and was second on the team in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns in his last year in Baton Rouge behind fellow rookie wide out Jarvis Landry, it was obvious to most who watched the Tigers play that Beckham is the better pro prospect of the two.
Then Beckham ran a 4.43 second 40-yard dash and posted a 38 ½ inch vertical at the scouting combine which propelled him to being selected with the #12 overall pick in the draft by the Giants. Needless to say, expectations were high for the receiver tabbed as Hakeem Nicks’ replacement.
When he missed most of training camp as well as all of the preseason and the first four games in the regular season, Giants’ fans and dynasty owners alike were more than disappointed. Since then though, we’ve all seen exactly what made Beckham such a high draft pick in May.
In his first game with the Giants in week five against the Falcons, Beckham showed on one play all the things that made him such a sought after prospect a few months earlier. It was third-and-three from the Atlanta 15-yard line and the Giants were down 20-17. Beckham lined up wide left and ran a stutter-and-go route to shake the defender. When Eli Manning released the ball, Beckham was even with the defensive back. But he tracked the ball perfectly, cut inside the defender and leaped to make the catch in the end zone, making a tough play look easy.
On Sunday, Beckham was at it again. Although he made only four catches in the game in Dallas he made the most of them, hauling in two scores. On the first one he lined up wide right and ran a magnificent post-out route. Using his quickness to get inside the defender on the post, he then slammed on the breaks and completely reversed field to the outside. Even though the defensive back held him as he made his break, Beckham was wide open for the nine-yard score.
Beckham’s second score was from five-yards out. This time he lined up in the right slot and ran a slant route. When it was covered perfectly by Dallas’ zone defense, he stopped and sat in the opening between two defenders for the easy score.
If you haven’t noticed, Beckham’s three scores this year have all come from different positions on the field. One from wide left, one from wide right and another from the slot. That shows me not only that Beckham possesses the skills to play multiple positions on the field, but also that Tom Coughlin and the rest of the Giants’ coaching staff already trusts him to be a primary part of their offense – that’s great news for dynasty owners both in the short and long term.
Now that Victor Cruz has been lost for the season, Beckham’s immediate upside is shining nearly as brightly as his long term potential. He’s been on the field for nearly every snap over the last two weeks and should be more involved in the passing game with every week that passes considering the lack of playmakers in New York’s aerial attack. He should be considered a weekly WR3 with WR2 upside for the rest of 2014.
In the long term, Beckham has the potential to be one of the most dynamic receivers in the league. He possesses the speed and quickness of Randall Cobb with the hands and route running of Antonio Brown. I’d be surprised if he’s not already considered a consistent WR2 going into next season and consider him to be a legitimate threat to develop into a WR1 down the road.
| Rookie Report Card | ||
| Player: Odell Beckham Jr. | ||
| Performance To Date | 2014 Potential | Long Term Upside |
| C | B- | A |
Allen Robinson, WR JAX
Week Seven Stats: four receptions, 60 yards, one touchdown
Season Stats: 34 receptions, 371 yards, one touchdown
It’s no secret. I’ve been a huge fan of Robinson since his second season at Penn State in 2012 when he caught 77 passes for 1,018 yards and 11 touchdowns as a sophomore and capping off the season by winning the Big Ten Richter-Howard Receiver-of-the-year award and being named first team All-Big Ten. Then in 2013 as a junior he took things to another level, hauling in 97 passes for 1,432 yards and six touchdowns and once again took home the same post season honors.
After his final season in Happy Valley, I wrote the following about him as part of the Big Ten Prospects series I penned.
“As a pro prospect, Robinson is my favorite the Big Ten has to offer. He was successful despite defenses tirelessly trying to stop him in 2013. Constantly double teamed, he always drew the best corner his opponent had to offer, yet he always came through despite the attention he garnered.
The best part of Robinson’s game has to be his hands. I watched him play at least seven times over the last two years and didn’t see him drop a pass to my recollection. I also never saw him let the ball get to his body, always catching the ball with his hands. Like most great receivers, he consistently showed excellent body control and always caught the ball at its highest point while trying to catch an inaccurate pass, which happened often this season with freshman Christian Hackenberg at quarterback.
Another area Robinson excels in is in the screen game. He was used often on bubble screens and was excellent after the catch – plays that reminded me on more than one occasion of Demaryius Thomas after catching the wide receiver screen from Peyton Manning. His longest reception of the season was a 65-yard quick pass in the right flat against Ohio State, where he immediately reversed field against the over-pursuing defense, and weaved through tacklers for a score.
Robinson was often used as a slot receiver in college, but has the size (6’3, 210 pounds) to be a consistent playmaker on the outside at the next level. He’s a good route runner, handles himself well around the sideline and has proven to be a great target around the goal line.
If there’s a weakness in Robinson’s game, it’s probably his straight line speed. Many expect him to run the 40-yard dash in 4.5 to 4.6 seconds at the combine. While he’s not a burner, he’s more than fast enough to become a number one NFL wide out. Another issue that has been brought up by some is ball security. I only saw him fumble once though (against Michigan) and I still think he was down before the ball came out.
Some also question his low touchdown total (in 2013.) Those who do, obviously didn’t see the Nittany Lions play much in 2013. He was constantly underthrown on deep routes, forcing him to slow down to make the catch and giving defenders time to make up ground and make the tackle. If he’s proven anything to me over the last two seasons, it’s that he can be a playmaker in the red zone. He simply didn’t play with a consistent enough quarterback to take advantage of all his skills.”
When I wrote that scouting report, I fully expected Robinson to be drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft and as the off-season progressed, I ranked him the third best rookie prospect in dynasty rookie drafts behind only Sammy Watkins and Mike Evans. I still stand by both of those statements. To this day I can’t believe he slipped to the end of the second round of the NFL draft.
From the time when he was selected with the 29th pick in the second round of the draft by the Jaguars, Robinson was slowed by a hamstring injury but has come on strong since. He’s now playing more than 90% of Jacksonville’s snaps and has at least seven targets in each of the last five games. It’s obvious that he’s become the Jaguars top receiver and I’d be shocked if he lost that title anytime soon.
In his short time as a pro, Robinson has already proven himself as a solid possession receiver. Until Sunday when he finally got a couple opportunities downfield, Robinson has primarily been asked to run drag routes, bubble screens and quick outs. He’s running quality routes, hasn’t dropped a pass and been good after the catch. Although he hasn’t gotten many red zone chances yet, he profiles as an excellent threat around the goal line and when he adds that to his game he could become lethal as a fantasy receiver.
Although he hasn’t recorded a 100-yard game and only has one score on the season, Robinson has quietly put himself in a position to be a weekly WR3 option for fantasy players, especially in PPR leagues. In fact, since becoming a starter in week two he’s averaged eight targets, 5.5 catches and 61.8 yards per game which translates to 12.68 fantasy points per game in PPR leagues. Due to the restraints put on him because of the lack of talent on the Jaguars’ roster, he likely won’t be anything more than what he’s been to this point for the rest of 2014 – but his long term potential is through the roof. I realize I’m in the minority, but I see no reason why Robinson can’t develop into a top-10 wide out for fantasy owners and I wouldn’t be surprised if his breakout comes in his sophomore season in Jacksonville. He’s an excellent trade target for those looking for a young receiver with massive upside.
| Rookie Report Card | ||
| Player: Allen Robinson | ||
| Performance To Date | 2014 Potential | Long Term Upside |
| C | C+ | A |
Follow me on Twitter: @dmeylor22
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