Ryan Nagelhout - Odell Beckham Jr.: Pro Bowl Wide Receiver

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First Edition

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Nagelhout, Ryan, author.
Title: Odell Beckham Jr.: Pro Bowl wide receiver / Ryan Nagelhout.
Description: New York: Britannica Educational Publishing, in Association with Rosen Educational Services, 2019. | Series: Living legends
of sports | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Audience: Grades 58.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017049257| ISBN 9781538302101 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Beckham, Odell, Jr., 1992 Juvenile literature. | Football
PlayersUnited StatesBiographyJuvenile literature. | New York Giants
(Football team)HistoryJuvenile literature.
Classification: LCC GV939.B424 N34 2019 | DDC 796.332092 [B]dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017049257

Manufactured in the United States of America

Photo credits: Cover, p. 1 Justin K. Aller/Getty Images; cover and interior pages background iStockphoto.com/Traffic Analyzer;
pp. 4-5, 25, 37 Al Bello/Getty Images; p. 7 Roberto Michel/Shutterstock.com; p. 8 Rommel Demano/Getty Images; p. 10
Collegiate Images/Getty Images; pp. 12-13 John Biever/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images; p. 14bSean Gardner/Getty Images; pp. 17, 18
Icon Sports Wire/Getty Images; p. 20 New York Daily News/Getty Images; p. 21 Elsa/Getty Images; p. 22 Photo by Frank Micelotta
/Invision for NFL/AP Images; pp. 26-27 Tim Clayton/Corbis Sport/Getty Images; pp. 28-29 Brad Barket/Getty Images; p. 30 Michael
Reaves/Getty Images; p. 31 Stacy Revere/Getty Images; p. 33 Angel Martinez/Real Madrid/Getty Images; p. 35 Joe Scarnici
/WireImage/Getty Images; p. 36 Rich Schultz/Getty Images; p. 38 Steven Ryan/Getty Images.

CONTENTS

INTRO
DUCTION

O dell Beckham Jr. is known for many
things in his brief but illustrious career
in the National Football League (NFL).
After a brilliant career at Louisiana State
University (LSU) he burst onto the NFL scene as
a rookie for the New York Giants. His colossal
individual performances as a receiver soon
made him a national sensation.

Among the highlights of Beckhams pro
career was a spectacular one-handed catch
that he made on TVs Sunday Night Football
during his rookie season in 2014. People
marveled at his ability on the field. But he
also began to get scrutiny for actions other
than his impressive playmaking.

In 2016, Beckham was named by the
Sporting News as one of the most hated
players in the NFL. In just four seasons, his
career has been filled with drama and
excellence. But why? The perception of
Beckham, as brilliant as he has been on the
field, is that he also is a troublemaker. Many
fans think he complains. He has started fights
with other players, shown his frustration and
anger on the field, and caused headaches
for his coaches and team with his touchdown
celebrations.

Introduction

Beckhams catch on
Sunday Night Football
against the Dallas
Cowboys in 2014 has
gone down as one of
the best catches in NFL
history.

ODELL BECKHAM JR.: PRO BOWL WIDE RECEIVER

On the field, when the ball is snapped, there are few receivers
better than Beckham. Here is how Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard
Sherman described Beckham during his rookie year in 2014. One of the
best defenders of the last decade, Sherman has seen his fair share of
talented wideouts (as wide receivers are also known) and broke them
down in a piece for the Players Tribune in 2016. He started his analysis
by talking about Beckham in a game they played two weeks before his
famous catch against the Cowboys on November 23, 2014.

In that Week 10 game against the Giants, I had been out on thefield for a few plays when Odell came in fresh off the bench. Heran a stop-and-go, and I had it covered pretty well. When hemade his first cut, I was right in his pocket.

Then he came out of the second part of his break, and hejust explodedlike he had been shot out of a cannonand hecaught the ball for a big gain.

I was like, O.K. Now I know.

No one can deny Odell Beckham Jr.s ability on the field. But there
is much more to Beckham than one extraordinary catch against the
Dallas Cowboys or a touchdown celebration that upsets fans. The son of
athletes grew up to be an athlete himself, and a remarkable one. But his
growth as a playerand a personis what makes his young career so
interesting.

O dell Beckham Jr. was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on November
5, 1992. Sports were a constant in his family. His father, Odell
Beckham Sr., was a star running back in high school. His mother,
Heather Van Norman, was a track standout. Both athletes attended LSU,
where they first met.

Tiger Stadium at
Louisiana State
University (LSU) in Baton
Rouge is home to Tiger
football. Odell Beckham
Sr. was a running back
for the Tigers.

ODELL BECKHAM JR.: PRO BOWL WIDE RECEIVER

Odell Beckham Jr. ( right )
poses with his mother,
Heather Van Norman, at a
charity event. Heather was a
track star when she was a
student at LSU.