Odell Beckham Jr. Named Best Slant Runner In NFL

Odell Beckham Jr. is one of the most talented wide recievers in the NFL, but when it comes to running slant routes, there is no one better.

Odell Beckham Jr. got on track in a big way against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6. Beckham Jr. carried the New York Giants to a victory, as he set a career high with 222 yards. He caught eight passes, two of which went for touchdowns, as the Ravens had no answers for the talented Beckham Jr.

It was a long time waiting for Beckham Jr. and the Giants, as he was being talked about more for his sideline antics than play on the field. He went the first four games of the season without catching a touchdown, but now has three in his last two games.

Beckham Jr. looks to be catching fire, which is good news for the Giants offense. Eli Manning and Beckham Jr.’s chemistry is key to the offense’s success, and if they are on the same page it will help everyone.

Against the Ravens, Beckham Jr. had two long touchdowns; one for 75-yards and the other for 66-yards. The 75-yard touchdown was an excellently executed double move by Beckham Jr. He curled for a short pass before turning up field and blowing past Will Davis. The second touchdown was a catch-and-run on fourth down that ended up being the game-winning score.

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The game-winning score was a thing of beauty as Beckham Jr.’s skill set was on full display. He took a slant route all the way to the house, as the defenders ran into each other and Beckham Jr. outran the remaining defenders.

Beckham Jr. is one of the best receivers in the NFL, but he truly excels when running slant routes. He is so quick off the line that defenders have trouble pressing him. If they miss the press, Beckham Jr. has the speed to blow by them.

Pro Football Focus has a ton of data in their hands, and they use it to say which players are good in certain areas. While anyone can look at yards gained or touchdowns scored, PFF takes it a step further with play-by-play grading.

Sam Monson wrote a guest article for ESPN using PFF’s numbers. They used those numbers to give out accolades that aren’t normally recognized, such as best deep pass thrower, best route runners and hardest players to tackle. One of the areas that he diagnosed was route running. Slant routes was one of the categories, which Beckham Jr. was named the best in.

Here is what Monson had to say about the Giants’ superstar.

"Slants are a staple route in most NFL offenses, but especially in the Giants’ scheme. In addition to all of the spectacular catches in his arsenal, Beckham also does the routine stuff well. So far this season Beckham has caught every slant thrown his way, gaining 137 yards and scoring a touchdown. He ranks second among WRs with a yards-per-catch average of nearly 20 on slant routes."

100 percent success rate at anything in sports is impressive, no matter the stat being looked at. Beckham Jr. excels running slant routes, and it is something that is a mainstay in the Giants quick hitting offense under Ben McAdoo.

Averaging near 20 yards per slant route is impressive as well, as much of the work is being done by Beckham Jr. himself. Manning throws the ball usually 5-7 yards away from the line of scrimmage on a slant; that means Beckham Jr. is gaining between 12-15 yards after the catch, a strong number in its own right.

Next: Ravens vs. Giants Recap, Highlights, Final Score, and More

Getting the ball into Beckham Jr.’s hands early and often has proven to be a successful gameplan for the Giants. If you see him running a slant route, good luck stopping him. There isn’t many, if any, better at doing it currently in the NFL.

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