New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart used to say Odell Beckham Jr.’s name after a one-handed catch in the backyard. Beckham was an icon then, a player who “changed the game a little bit.” Sharing a huddle with him still feels that way.
“From that perspective, I would say it’s pretty nostalgic,” Dart told reporters on Tuesday. “It’s a really cool experience.”
The feeling has company now. Dart said he is proud of how Beckham earned his role, improved each week, and is playing his best football since he arrived.
“He came in here, he earned it,” Dart said. “He got better each and every week, and he’s playing his best ball since he got here right now, from just alignment, assignment, playing fast, getting open, making plays. So, really proud of him,
and just the dedication that he’s put in to get into this point. And he’s a great teammate as well. So, there’s a lot that we, as younger guys, can learn from him. And he’s still a great player.”
Dart wanted more than the name. He said you never know how dedicated a player will be in this situation, especially one who has “damn near had it all.” The answer came in the offseason, when Beckham flew across the country to throw extra reps with him.
“When you just have that one-on-one time, you see his talent and the things that make him a special player,” Dart said. “From those experiences and him growing each and every week, you realize that he’s still got it.”
Beckham’s years around other quarterbacks have helped Dart, too. The conversations that stuck were about communication.
“He’s played with a lot of amazing quarterbacks,” Dart said. “Just asking questions about different guys, his experience from across the league, and how maybe some of those other great quarterbacks communicated to him, communicated to the receivers. I think that those have been the conversations that have really helped me.”
Beckham is still the name from the backyard. He is also the teammate who showed up for extra work and the veteran Dart can ask about the position.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: How Odell Beckham's NFL experience is helping Giants QB Jaxson Dart
