The Baltimore Ravens selected wide receiver Rashod Bateman with the 27th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. The former University of Minnesota star was long linked to Baltimore, and the team was able to pick him late in the first round.
Bateman missed the first few games of his rookie career, but has ended up performing at a very high level and contributing in a positive way when he’s on the field. When Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was asked about Bateman, he went into detail about how the team is “really happy” with the rookie.
“Right, yes. He’s done a really good job. We’re really happy with Rashod [Bateman]. To miss training camp the way he did, and not just that, [but also] early in the season, games, and to come on and start playing the way he is, I guess we expected that; we picked him in the first round. We thought he was going to be a really good player, and he hasn’t disappointed us. So, again, [he’s] another guy with a really bright future. I’m just looking forward to Sunday. Him and Brandon [Stephens] and all these young guys; I just want to see them play Sunday. So, we’ll talk about down the road, down the road. I think these guys are going to be really good players for us for a long time, but right now, I want to get them ready to play on Sunday and try to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers.”
Through 11 games, Bateman has caught 44 passes for 493 yards and one touchdown. He’s become a big part of what Baltimore does on offense, and has started to develop chemistry with quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley. As he continues to grow and develop, Bateman should improve his game even more, which should be a scary thought for the other 31 teams across the NFL.