nitramnaed
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Via Saturday Tradition:
In all seriousness, I’ll go with Bateman in part because of where he ended up. The biggest concern I usually have with rookie receivers making the transition to the NFL is getting separation. When you have a quarterback like Lamar Jackson who constantly draws eyes from the back end of the defense, it can be a receiver’s best friend. Bateman’s ability to get open when plays break down could be what allows him to break out in Year 1. We know the skills are there. We know he can make plays on the outside, and he’s a dangerous downfield threat, though not exclusively.
It also might work out for Bateman that he’s going to a situation in which he likely won’t see No. 1 corners, but Hollywood Brown and Sammy Watkins aren’t exactly target monsters. Could Bateman be the 2021 version of Justin Jefferson? An 88-catch, 1,400-yard rookie season might be a bit ambitious, but I wouldn’t bet against the former Gopher star emerging as the top target in Baltimore by season’s end.
Bateman is a bit of a risky selection as a wide receiver in a rush-based attack, but he definitely looks like the missing piece for Baltimore’s offense under quarterback Lamar Jackson. The Ravens led the NFL with just over 3,000 yards rushing in 2020, but they finished dead last in the league with 2,739 yards through the air. That led to just two Baltimore players eclipsing 700 yards receiving, and one of those was tight end Mark Andrews.
Baltimore has already signed Sammy Watkins to go with Andrews and Marquise Lee, along with the elite rushing attack led by Jackson, J.K. Dobbins, and Gus Edwards. Bateman’s addition is not enough for the Ravens to drastically shift the offense away from what has worked running the ball, but make no mistake about it. Bateman has serious WR1 potential in the NFL due to his size, speed, and route-running ability. He’s also likely to see a lot of one-on-one coverage early as teams try to deal with the run, leading to some early big-play potential for Bateman.
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Connor O’Gara, senior national columnist
Rashod Bateman. It’s big of me to put down my Bears bias and say that Justin Fields isn’t the answer here, but Andy Dalton is QB1, which means a Super Bowl is coming to the Windy City, and then Fields will take over in Year 2.In all seriousness, I’ll go with Bateman in part because of where he ended up. The biggest concern I usually have with rookie receivers making the transition to the NFL is getting separation. When you have a quarterback like Lamar Jackson who constantly draws eyes from the back end of the defense, it can be a receiver’s best friend. Bateman’s ability to get open when plays break down could be what allows him to break out in Year 1. We know the skills are there. We know he can make plays on the outside, and he’s a dangerous downfield threat, though not exclusively.
It also might work out for Bateman that he’s going to a situation in which he likely won’t see No. 1 corners, but Hollywood Brown and Sammy Watkins aren’t exactly target monsters. Could Bateman be the 2021 version of Justin Jefferson? An 88-catch, 1,400-yard rookie season might be a bit ambitious, but I wouldn’t bet against the former Gopher star emerging as the top target in Baltimore by season’s end.
Paul Harvey, news writer
There are definitely some tempting choices for which B1G rookie will shine the brightest in 2021. Rashawn Slater with the Chargers or Greg Newsome II with the Browns are probably safe selections but with a lesser chance at having a huge season statistically. Justin Fields will have the ball in his hands a lot leading the Chicago offense and Kwity Paye has a big chance for an immediate impact as a rookie pass rusher with Indy. However, I’m going with former Minnesota wide receiver Rashod Bateman after getting selected by the Ravens.Bateman is a bit of a risky selection as a wide receiver in a rush-based attack, but he definitely looks like the missing piece for Baltimore’s offense under quarterback Lamar Jackson. The Ravens led the NFL with just over 3,000 yards rushing in 2020, but they finished dead last in the league with 2,739 yards through the air. That led to just two Baltimore players eclipsing 700 yards receiving, and one of those was tight end Mark Andrews.
Baltimore has already signed Sammy Watkins to go with Andrews and Marquise Lee, along with the elite rushing attack led by Jackson, J.K. Dobbins, and Gus Edwards. Bateman’s addition is not enough for the Ravens to drastically shift the offense away from what has worked running the ball, but make no mistake about it. Bateman has serious WR1 potential in the NFL due to his size, speed, and route-running ability. He’s also likely to see a lot of one-on-one coverage early as teams try to deal with the run, leading to some early big-play potential for Bateman.
NFL Draft: Which B1G first-rounder will have the best rookie season?
Which B1G first-rounder will have the best 2021 season in the NFL?
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