Overview

Rashod Bateman is a junior out of the University of Minnesota. Bateman had an excellent sophomore year, but originally opted out of his junior season. He then opted back in, and put up solid numbers considering the limited amount of time he played. Bateman has an ideal WR1 size, at 6’2″ 210 pounds.

Pros:

Bateman is a spectacular route runner. Not only is he a technician with his routes, but he has also almost mastered the skill of timing and release on just about any route. In short, Bateman can run the entire route tree for any offense. Bateman is also able to avoid and move off cornerback jams and uses his strong frame and elite route running to break by cornerbacks. Bateman has good, soft hands that will rarely ever result in dropped passes. Bateman isn’t necessarily a primary deep ball threat, but he can make plays downfield and produce big yardage plays. Bateman’s physicality is also noteworthy. He combines strength and physicality to win jump ball throws and does so at an extremely high level. In terms of technicality, Bateman may be one of the best receivers in the class. An extremely well-rounded player, who is almost guaranteed to provide any team with immediate production.

Cons:

The main and probably the only negative aspect of Bateman’s game is his speed. He isn’t as fast in comparison to other receivers projected in the first round. His 40-yard dash during the Combine, if there is one, and during his Pro Day, will be very telling if he has consistent speed. On a lot of his deep routes, the speed and burst when running his routes doesn’t develop until he tracks the ball and attempts to make a play to catch the ball. While I don’t see this as a large concern, considering Bateman has almost everything else that you can ask for in a receiver, it is definitely what puts guys like Jamarr Chase and Jaylen Waddle ahead of him.

Overview:

Rashod Bateman is one of my favorite players in this entire draft class. I believe he will end up being one of the best if not the best receiver to come out of this class. At his best, I could see Bateman being like Davante Adams. This is a steep comparison, however, Bateman’s ability to run routes to perfection, maintains several similarities to Davante Adams and what he does for the Packers. While there is a chance he falls past the 20th pick, I see Bateman going anywhere between the 10th and 20th pick in the draft, and that is where he should go. Bateman has a bright future in the NFL, and I expect him to shine as a WR1 for any team that may select him.