If there is one thing that separates NFL teams and dynasty fantasy teams, it is risk seeking and/or avoidance behavior. Dorial Green-Beckham (“DGB”) has extra concern to spare. Teams like the
New England Patriots and the Cincinnati Bengals face character flaws head on, while other teams take high-risk players off their draft list. To get a better idea of the rewards that comes with the increased risk, I reviewed five of his 2013 college games against Kentucky, Auburn, Indiana, Texas A&M, and Ole Miss. Here is what I observed:
WR Dorial Green-Beckham, Missouri 6′ 5″ 237 lbs.
Cons: Where do we start? The wide out got kicked off his college team because of an incident where he threw a woman down a flight of stairs. This was after multiple drug-related incidents at Missouri. Because of those actions, DGB did not take a snap on a football field for all of 2014. The last receiver that came back from that long of an absence under similar circumstances was the Browns Josh Gordon; which didn’t turn out that well considering Gordon will be out all of the 2015 season.
For all of his size advantages, Beckham struggles to get off the line of scrimmage when he pressed within five yards. The more physical the defender, the bigger issue the receiver has getting away from them near the line of scrimmage. Despite running a decent forty time of 4.49 at the NFL Combine, he is not an explosive athlete but more of a long-strider than needs to build up speed. This lack of explosion is plainly obvious when you look at his limited leaping ability of 33.5 inches in the high jump and 119 inches in the long jump in Indianapolis. There were many smaller receivers including Phillip Dorsett (who is seven inches and 52 pounds lighter) that greatly out performed him in those and many other drills. The troubled wide out shows varied efforts catching the ball, at times he lets the pigskin too much into his body and then other times catches it cleanly with his out-stretched hands. Another bothersome aspect is that DGB is an inconsistent run blocker (one play he looks good and the next two barely getting in the way) along with being a sloppy route runner (will he be where he needs to be to make the reception?). He shows a tendency to get tackled once you have him by the hips, regardless of the size of the defender (at 237 pounds, he needs to be stronger than that).
Pros: The wide out lines up on the outside and in the slot. Beckham uses his body well to shield the ball from the defensive backs. His long strides makes it easier to create separation down the field against smaller defenders who need more steps to keep up with him. He can sky above most defenders snaring the ball at its highest point. Because DGB can track the ball well in the air while catching it in stride, he is a huge deep threat that can run nine routes for a team that can protect their quarterback. This receiver adjusts well to the ball in the air and can contort himself to make difficult grabs (great catch radius). Beckham sells double moves on longer routes and can also be effective on bubble screens by spinning, stiff-arming, and hurdling away from would-be tacklers. While he can run most routes, the wide out is most effective with passes near the line of scrimmage or more than twenty yards downfield, because those assist him creating open spaces. DGB finds a second gear once he straddles the sidelines and follows his blockers on the way to the end zone. The receiver uses his good vision to find cut back lanes and has good enough balance to make those adjustments in the open. Because of his size and ability to box out defenders, Beckham is an excellent red zone threat and is very effective out-jumping his coverage near the back of the end zone.
Overall thoughts: While he is significantly heavier than Randy Moss, DGB runs a lot like him. But unlike Moss. Beckham doesn’t have the benefit of getting the advice from a future hall of famer receiver, Cris Carter, either. The character concerns put a huge damper on his upside. Unless he ends up on a team with strong leadership (coaching and player leadership-wise), the receiver might crash and burn. His abilities are formidable, but his rawness and attitude are unquestionable. The added bonus is that Beckham might begin his career in the NFL with one discipline strike against him. Tread lightly.
If you enjoyed this article or any of my other efforts, please donate using the PayPal button at the bottom of the page. Also, please follow me on Twitter @AndrewMiley or the site @Dynasty_Blitz.
