2021 NFL Draft: 5 targets at Ravens biggest team needs
By Ron N.K
Here is a look at what the Ravens need to target in the 2021 NFL Draft:
The 2021 NFL Draft is rapidly approaching and is now less than two months away. The NFL Draft has been an area where the Baltimore Ravens have historically succeeded, gaining a reputation as being one of the best drafters in recent years as a result of drafting countless amount of steals on draft night.
They’re the franchise opting to build the team through the draft rather the beak the bank in free agency, but that could change this season with the team having legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.
Baltimore General Manager Eric DeCosta has continued the team’s success at the draft, getting a stud middle linebacker Patrick Queen with the 28th overall pick last year, but has also proven to take more risks than the former General Manager Ozzie Newsome.
Mr. DeCosta has several needs to address but has a limited amount of cap space and draft capital, albeit this could all change with some roster moves (addressed in the previous article). In this article, we will explore potential targets that the Ravens could draft.
Rashod Bateman, WR Minnesota
Baltimore has historically struggled to develop wide receivers and has gotten most of their receiver production from free agency. This could very well happen again with receivers such as Allen Robinson, Chris Godwin, Kenny Golladay, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Will Fuller, Marvin Jones, and more on the open market (if not franchise-tagged). However, if the Ravens opt to choose a wide receiver in the first round for the second time in three years, Bateman has to be the pick.
Simply put, Bateman would fit perfectly in the Ravens offense and would fulfill what Baltimore thought they were getting from Miles Boykin – a big, physical receiver who has great hands and is decently fast.
The Ravens already have multiple young receivers who are speedsters and have a small stature, such as Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown and Devin Duvernay, on the roster and require a bigger receiver. Bateman is a 6-2 and a 210-pound monster with great speed. He put up monster numbers at Minnesota in 2019, finishing with 60 receptions, 1,219 yards, 11 touchdowns, and a massive 20.3 average yards per reception.
If the Ravens miss out on Allen Robinson or Kenny Golladay (two physical and relatively fast receivers on the open market pending franchise-tags), then they could certainly draft Batemen who is promising. Bateman is likely to be available for the taking at pick 28 and could even fall into the second round for Baltimore’s taking.