Ideal team-prospect fits for the 2021 NFL Draft

NFL Team: Baltimore Ravens – Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota

Rashod Bateman

This is the first skill-position player we’ll be talking about, since the top three wide receivers really can fit with any team, and Kyle Pitts is just a nightmare matchup for whoever might bring him in.

There’s so much going on about Lamar Jackson out there, when really the two biggest areas of improvement for Baltimore are the pass-game design and finding that true number one receiver.

They have Marquise Brown as the speed element, who really finally came along late for them last season. They have two excellent tight-ends, who can take on different duties and two RB threats on the dive action.

You can argue that they could upgrade at center (somebody who can freaking snap the ball consistently), and we’ll have to see what happens with Orlando Brown asking for a trade if they may need to address the right tackle spot.

But I think getting more of a big-bodied receiver, who can use that frame when going over the middle and winning in 50-50 ball situations should be priority number one.

Minnesota’s Rashod Bateman is one of my favorite pass-catchers in this class, and while I’m not done with my evaluation yet, I feel very confident in saying that he’ll end up as one of my top five receivers.

He is a very smooth glider on vertical routes, has that 'my ball' mentality when it’s up for grabs, and his most effective routes are slants and digs, where he shows no reservations about going over the middle. Moreover, he turned many of those upfield and went the distance at Minnesota.

That’s exactly what the Ravens offense is missing right now. Bateman could line up at X and beat man-coverage and also move into the slot and run those glance routes on RPOs. For me, it’s either him, if he falls to 27th overall, or Allen Robinson in NFL free agency, that would fit perfectly in Baltimore.