3 Most Likely Teams to Draft Rashod Bateman

Minnesota Golden Gophers WR Rashod Bateman is one of the more talented wide receivers in the 2021 NFL Draft. Several mock drafts have him being taken towards the end of the first or beginning of the second rounds.

In 31 games with Minnesota, Bateman caught 147 passes for 2,395 yards and 19 touchdowns. He's also been on multiple All-Big Ten teams and was the 2019 Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year.

Any team that's able to land Bateman should be thrilled if he reaches his potential. With that being said, here's a look at three teams who are likely to select him in the upcoming draft.

3. Philadelphia Eagles (No. 37)

Now, this pick relies on the possibility of Bateman falling to the start of the second round. Assuming that does happen, it would be a no-brainer for the Philadelphia Eagles to select him. The Eagles' 207.9 passing yards per game was near the bottom of the league in 2020 (28th). Heading into the next season, the team is without a true No. 1 wide receiver and Bateman could be that for them.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 32)

Some mock drafts have the Tampa Bay Buccaneers targeting a new slot receiver for Tom Brady as Antonio Brown remains a free agent. With how late the Buccaneers draft in Round 1 and the lacking need for many improvements on this Super Bowl-winning roster, drafting Bateman is a low-risk, high-reward situation. Most of the pressure would be on Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, leaving Bateman to develop at his own pace while catching passes from Brady, of all people.

1. Tennessee Titans (No. 22)

The Tennessee Titans suffered a big blow over the offseason as Corey Davis left to sign with the New York Jets. Davis was coming off of a 984-yard, 5-touchdown season and now the Titans don't have anyone to fill his hole opposite to A.J. Brown. If drafted by the Titans, Bateman could step in right away and produce. Ryan Tannehill loves to throw the ball, as seen by his 3,819 passing yards last season. If Tannehill can replicate that success, Bateman could see more than enough targets in 2021.

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