2021 NFL Draft Picks: Rashod Bateman Will Be A Draft Day Riser

2021 NFL Draft Picks: Rashod Bateman Will Be A Draft Day Riser

We've already compiled some of our favorite wagers for the NFL Draft and today we're back with another of the star players from the wide reciever class, Rashod Bateman.

NFL Draft Rashod Bateman Odds, Pick & Prediction

I've already written about two of the wideouts in this class Ja'Marr Chase and DeVonta Smith, with one of those players offering as close to a home run hit as I can remember, and the other showing too many red flags.

Today we're Rashod Bateman, the star receiver from the University Of Minnesota. Our key focus in evaluating Bateman is the 2019 season, because he opted out of last year before catching Covid himself, in a very disrupted year.

In 2019 he racked up over 1200 yards and averaged 20.3 yards per reception, which led the Big Ten. He also let on catched over 10+ yards downfield. Not only that but PFF reported that since 2019 he trails only Ja'Marr Chase and DeVonta Smith in explosive plays. 

It feels like this draft is perhaps lacking in big alpha recievers but at over 6-foot, Bateman is big, and what's even better is that he plays a lot bigger. He can play as a bigger slot guy or play on the outside and over the past month of watching his film, I can see where comparisons to Keenan Allen come from.

He has top end speed, can cut on a dime and is capable of some impressive circus catches. His 2019 tape shows a couple of excellent one handed grabs, so it shouldn't be a surprise that he's been training with Odell Beckham Jr as he gets ready for the draft.

His tape is fun to watch and there's so much for a team to gain by drafting him. He gets open quickly off the line of scrimmage and in my view is the third best WR in the class.

Who will draft Rashod Bateman?

The line on Rashod Bateman is an incredible 26.5. I say incredible because I can't see him last anywhere near that long. If DeVonta Smith slides like I think he will, then that could hurt him, but even with that threat, there is too many teams in need of a WR for him to fall that far, especially with the defensive side of the ball looking so sparse this year.

I think the first potential spot for Bateman could be as high as 12 with the Eagles crying out for more help in the WR room, amongst many other positions. I love the fit here but given the array of issues that Philadelphia has, it's an outside chance.

From 15 things get really tast, the Patriots and Cardinals pick back to back and both are surely in the market for a pass catcher. The Patriots has the worse pool of recievers in the league last year and the Cards will be looking to give Kyler Murray another tool, either a stud WR to play opposite Hopkins or an offensive lineman to help protect him.

Between the Cardinals 16th pick there are 7 teams who I'd consider as possible landing spots for a player like Bateman before his projected line of 26.5. They are the Dolphins at 18, if they don't take Ja'Marr Chase or Kyle Pitts earlier. Then it's a run of 5 teams who all need help there, Washington, Chicago, Indianapolis, Tennessee and then the Jets, who'll surely be looking to either protect their new franchise QB or give him a tool to play with.

That could be the same motivation for Jacksonville too at 25, who would surely see Rashod Bateman as agreat foil for Trevor Lawrence. Wheoever selects Bateman is going to get a player who'll come up big and be a handful from day one. I think this offers huge value with Bateman, at least in my view, clear of DeVonta Smith, Kadarius Toney and Terrace Mashall, who all have great skillsets, albeit with some concerns too.

NFL Draft Expert Pick

NFL Draft Over/Under - Rashod Bateman Under Pick 26.5 @ +122 (Click to bet)

2021 NFL Draft Free Picks

As we get ready for the 2021 NFL Draft in April, we take a look at the odds for some of the top prospects available. We know Trevor Lawrence will be going first overall, but what about Zach Wilson? Justin Fields? Penei Sewell?

Leading up to the draft, NFL experts Sam Farley and Brian Good will break down the odds for each of the top players in the 2021 NFL Draft and try to predict where they’ll be playing come Week 1 next season.