Big SI Profile: Rashod Bateman Says Tough Decisions in 2020 Made Him a Man and Prepared Him for the NFL

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per SI:

The wide receiver opted out of Minnesota's season twice, but says those decisions taught him about who he is and what kind of person his future NFL team is getting.

www.si.com

Rashod Bateman Says Tough Decisions in 2020 Made Him a Man

The wide receiver opted out of Minnesota's season twice, but says those decisions taught him about who he is and what kind of person his future NFL team is getting.
www.si.com www.si.com

Go Gophers!!
 

Here are evaluations of Rashod by anonymous NFL coaches in The Athletic:

MINNESOTA’S RASHOD BATEMAN

WR Coach No. 1: He’s right there as a pure route runner with DeVonta. He’s smooth. I just wish he ran a little faster.

WR Coach No. 2: He looked like a different guy this year. The ’19 Bateman was a lot better than the ’20 Bateman. He had concentration lapses. His routes were crisper in 2019; maybe some of that had to do with the new offense; he just wasn’t as polished.

WR Coach No. 3: The 2020 tape doesn’t wow you, but with the 2019 tape, you see something else. Which one are you getting? I think he’s the biggest wild card in this group.
 


MplsGopher said:
Oh weird, Sanford _____ed him up.
Click to expand...
Well, yes and no. Rashod had COVID during the summer, and I believe mentioned somewhere that it did play a factor in his performance in the 2020 season (I remember comments here about some explosiveness missing, which would make sense if he was only at 95% after COVID). In addition, you have a new OC AND no off-season to get used to them. Regardless of who the new OC is, good track record or not, there is going to be some challenges there.

Further, Rashod was now the #1 target for defenses. Some of Rashods best plays in 2019 came while Tyler Johnson was also on the field and defenses had to make a decision (same for Johnson, some of his best 2019 plays came while Rashod was on the field). With no clear second threat behind Rashod, defenses focused on covering him more.

While Sanford's track record and 1 season performance seem to paint a solid picture, with how crazy the 2020 season was, I'm willing to give him 2021 to prove 2020 was a fluke.
 

Taji34 said:
Well, yes and no. Rashod had COVID during the summer, and I believe mentioned somewhere that it did play a factor in his performance in the 2020 season (I remember comments here about some explosiveness missing, which would make sense if he was only at 95% after COVID). In addition, you have a new OC AND no off-season to get used to them. Regardless of who the new OC is, good track record or not, there is going to be some challenges there.

Further, Rashod was now the #1 target for defenses. Some of Rashods best plays in 2019 came while Tyler Johnson was also on the field and defenses had to make a decision (same for Johnson, some of his best 2019 plays came while Rashod was on the field). With no clear second threat behind Rashod, defenses focused on covering him more.

While Sanford's track record and 1 season performance seem to paint a solid picture, with how crazy the 2020 season was, I'm willing to give him 2021 to prove 2020 was a fluke.
Click to expand...
I sure hope you're right. Please don't be Robb Smith v2.0. That's what my gut says.
 


Here’s Bob McGinn’s draft analysis from The Athketic (he’s the longtime Packers beat writer for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). Feels pretty similar to the NFL coaches opinions I posted above. Rated 6th among WRs.

6. Rashod Bateman, Minnesota (6-foot-0½, 190, 4.45, Round 2):Named MVP of the Gophers’ 11-2 team in 2019 before playing five games without distinction in 2020 and then opting out of the final three games.

“Tale of two seasons,” said one scout. “He was really good last year, but his film this year was awful. The kid kind of totally tanked it. Came into this season overweight and played out of shape.”

Third-year junior with 33-inch arms.

“This year they played him a lot more in the slot, and coming across the middle he didn’t look that confident,” said a second scout. “Last year he attacked it better. He’s a little leggy. He’s not that twitchy, but he can still get some separation. The speed was the biggest issue with him, but he showed enough. His pro day was pretty damn good. If he can go into a place where he isn’t the guy, that would be perfect for him. He could grow into one.”

An exceptional basketball player, Bateman turned down chances to play for major-college programs out of high school in Tifton, Ga.

“He’s got a high drop rate,” said a third scout. “He’s not going to catch across the middle. He’s a man-beater underneath. You don’t see the top receiver traits in this guy.”

Finished with 147 receptions for 2,395 yards(16.3 average) and 19 touchdowns.
 

Man, almost sounds like he should have came back for 2021!

Wonder if he couldn't fathom playing for the same OC and gameplan .... 🤔
 


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