MDM: Baltimore Ravens take Rashod Bateman in latest 2021 NFL mock draft

The latest seven-round Baltimore Ravens mock draft sees Minnesota wide receiver Rashod Bateman in round one. Who else did they take?

In this edition of our Baltimore Ravens 2021 NFL Draft mock series, we see the team beef up the offensive line and get Lamar Jackson a new target.

The Ravens will sign a veteran receiver in free agency, but they need to provide Lamar Jackson with a serious influx of talent if they have their sights set on a Super Bowl. Adding Rashod Bateman to a group that will feature Marquise Brown, Mark Andrews, and a newly-signed quality veteran target greatly opens up a passing game that was grossly predictable in 2020.

The current receivers on the Baltimore depth chart are fairly one-dimensional, and Bateman adds the kind of route tree and skillset versatility that will help the Ravens have a more dynamic offense through the air. At 6″1, 209 pounds, the Minnesota product gives Jackson the bigger receiver he desperately needs, and one that still offers the kind of speed and separation ability to fit the “track team” that Eric DeCosta said he was trying to build last offseason.

Regardless of whether Orlando Brown Jr. is kept or traded, the offensive line must be addressed this offseason. As was the case at wide receiver, the Ravens are almost certain to bolster the line through free agency, but with multiple needs at right guard and center (and possibly right tackle), Baltimore will need to walk away from the draft with at least one plug-and-play lineman to help keep Lamar Jackson upright.

Davis is the kind of mauler that will fit in perfectly in the Ravens’ run-heavy scheme and is strong enough in pass protection that he should be an upgrade in that respect as well. DeCosta and company have shown an affinity for Ohio State players in recent years (J.K. Dobbins and Malik Harrison are both OSU products), and Davis looks like a prime candidate to be the next in the Buckeye-to-Baltimore pipeline.