PHOENIX -- New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. emerged from a historically great wide receiver class to capture the 2014 Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award at Saturday's NFL Honors ceremony.
After missing the first four games of the season, Beckham sky-rocketed to national acclaim with a spectacular one-handed catch that stood out as the play of the year.
Beckham was far from a one-trick pony.
Labeled the only rookie to "run the entire route tree" by Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman, Beckham displayed easy separation and rare suddenness against the league's best cornerbacks.
In his first nine games as a full-time NFL starter after Victor Cruz was lost for the season, Beckham averaged nine receptions, 133 yards and one touchdown per game -- numbers no wide receiver has ever sustained in a full season.
In addition to joining Hall of Fame wideout Michael Irvin as the only players ever to record at least 90 yards in nine consecutive games, Beckham's 606 yards in December are the most by any rookie in one calendar month.
"I haven't seen a young receiver like this explode this way without much practice time in my entire life," NFL Media analyst Mike Mayock raved last month.
Before Beckham became an international sensation in November, we compared him to a young Michael Jordan for his graceful quick-twitch athleticism, vice-grip hands, rare ball skills, easy leaping ability, mid-air dexterity and improvisational creativity.
Quite simply, we have never seen a player like him.
Already the most talented player on the field every time he hits the gridiron, Beckham now rivals Randy Moss for the honors of the greatest rookie season by a wide receiver in NFL history.
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