Rashod Bateman is an NFL wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens. Bateman hails from Tifton, Georgia, where he starred at Tift County High School. He committed to the University of Minnesota after his junior season and stuck to his word after a big 1,539 yard and 21 touchdown senior season. More of the same production followed him to Minnesota. Despite sharing a wide receiver room with pro receiver Tyler Johnson for two seasons, he was a monster producer as a Golden Gopher. He hauled in just under 2,000 yards in his first two seasons. His 40.0-percent (82nd-percentile) College Dominator Rating, 16.7 (76th-percentile) College YPR, 35.7-percent (98th-percentile) College Target Share, and 18.8 (93rd-percentile) Breakout Age were all elite. He brought in 111 balls in his first two seasons as well, scoring on 17 of them.
After a COVID-shortened 2020 season that saw Rashod Bateman register 472 yards, two touchdowns, and a 30.4-percent Target Share, he declared for the 2021 NFL Draft. He didn’t have to wait long to hear his name called. The Baltimore Ravens snagged him with the No. 27 overall pick. While there was plenty of excitement to see him as a pro, that excitement would have to wait. He was placed on injured reserve after suffering a groin injury and undergoing surgery. He missed the first five games of the season.
Bateman returned in Week 6 and was immediately busy. He registered at least six targets in his first five games and in half of the 12 games he played. The missed time seemed to haunt him, though. He went for over 50 yards in just four of his 12 games and scored just once. He was only able to muster a 69-percent snap share, a 16.4-percent air yards share, and seven deep targets. He did provide glimpses of what made him a tantalizing first-round pick, however. He broke out for his first 100-yard game in Week 14 against a talented Cleveland Browns defense. He had a 63.6-percent (No. 7) Contested Catch Rate. He was able to use his 4.48 40-yard dash speed to accumulate 164 yards after catch. He only had two drops on 67 targets. Bateman was drafted as the WR67 based on ADP but did not deliver thanks to those injuries, finishing his rookie season as the WR80. Rashod Bateman is a great wide receiver prospect who is only on the second year of his rookie contract. Better health in the future will allow for those glimpses of brilliance to be more lasting going forward for years to come.
