CLEVELAND — Odell Beckham Jr. has yet to play a meaningful down of football for the Cleveland Browns, but the new wide receiver is already a fan favorite in the Dawg Pound.
Several local fans combined their talents to write, produce and edit a parody video of the song, “A Whole New World” from the Disney classic, Aladdin. Entitled “A Whole New Land,” the video has actors portraying quarterback Baker Mayfield and Beckham Jr. in the roles of Aladdin and Jasmine.
The video begins with Mayfield extending a helping hand to Beckham Jr., and then, the two shared a magic carpet ride around the city of Cleveland.
“I can show you The Land, cloudy, cold, but friendly,” Mayfield’s actor sung. “Tell me Odell, now when did you last let your heart decide. You can silence the crowd from drafting blunder by blunder, over The Shoreway and under on a Cleveland carpet ride.
“A whole new world. A new, affordable point of view. Someone to catch my throws and make Pro Bowls, they’ll say we’re only winning.”
Beckham Jr. followed with, “A struggling team I’ll improve, and if I move this far, I’ll be the star and maybe win a Super Bowl with you.
“Wide receivable sights, indescribable catches, scoring touchdowns and winning through a smoggy Cleveland sky. A whole new world.”
The video ended with harmonic parts sung first in response to each other, and then, together.
“Completions everywhere, all the time, I swear,” Mayfield and Beckham Jr. sung. “Let me share this whole Dawg Pound with you. A whole new world, Cleveland for me, a playoff team, a wonderous place for you and me.”
The release of the Aladdin video came just days after another fan created a Browns-themed trailer for the soon-to-be released Avengers movie.
The Browns acquired Beckham Jr. from the New York Giants last Wednesday in exchange for their first and third-round picks in the 2019 NFL Draft, as well as third-year safety Jabrill Peppers.
But with the Browns nine months away from opening the 2019 regular season, why is there so much optimism about them one might ask?
Well, because Beckham Jr. is one of the best playmaking wide receivers in the NFL.
Over 59 regular-season games, including 56 starts, in five years with the Giants, Beckham Jr. turned 622 targets into 390 receptions for 5,476 yards and 44 touchdowns. Beckham Jr. averaged 92.8 yards per game, including a league-best 108.8 during the 2014 season.
A three-time Pro Bowler, Beckham Jr. has put four 1,000-yard and three double-digit touchdown seasons on his resume since being selected with a first-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Louisiana State University.
Last season, Beckham Jr. turned into a 77-catch, 1,052-yard, six-touchdown effort for the Giants.
Also, there is the matter of knowing who the starting quarterback is going into the season.
Mayfield broke the NFL rookie record with his 27th touchdown throw of the 2018 season with 3:24 remaining in the fourth quarter of a 26-24 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in an AFC North Division clash at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on December 30.
After taking over the first-team offense in the second quarter of a Week 3 win over the New York Jets, Mayfield completed 310 of his 486 attempts (63.8 percent) for 3,725 yards and 27 touchdowns against 14 interceptions.
Under the direction of new Browns coach Freddie Kitchens, who was the interim offensive coordinator for the second half of the 2018 season, Mayfield completed 180 of his 263 attempts (68.4 percent) for 2,254 yards and 19 touchdowns against eight interceptions.