Ravens: The Rashod Bateman hype train has officially left the station

The Baltimore Ravens kicked off their rookie minicamp this past Friday. And one of the early standouts from this weekend’s practices has been first-round pick Rashod Bateman.

Bateman has quickly made a strong first impression impressing coaches, teammates, and media alike. After just two days, head coach John Harbaugh took the time to single him out as one of the stars of the weekend.

Harbaugh was asked about his first impressions of the team’s rookies, Bateman in particular, after Saturday’s practice.

And he gave quite the endoresemt to the Ravens’ newest young wideout.

"“First impressions are very positive. He’s a no-nonsense guy. He has a nice demeanor about him. He’s a quick learner. Everything we thought he’d be in terms of the athleticism and skill set . . . I would say he’s as advertised from a talent standpoint.”"

The Ravens are already impressed by Rashod Bateman

The Ravens selected Bateman with the 27th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft last month, the first of two first-round picks the team made.

And while his fellow first-round teammate, Odafe Oweh, has impressed as well, it’s been “The Rashod Bateman Show” to this point

The former Minnesota star has wowed the coaching staff with his smooth route-running and he looks the part of an NFL receiver. The scouting report on Bateman coming out of college was that his route-running would allow him to contribute early in his NFL career.

And while we’re only a couple of days into rookie minicamp, that certainly appears to be the case. As Harbaugh said, he’s been “as advertised.”

It’s a little premature to make any declarations about Bateman’s future based on a pair of May practices without pads or defenders. That said, the early signs have certainly been encouraging.

The Ravens will be counting on Bateman to fill a major role on offense in his rookie season. Alongside fellow rookie Tylan Wallace and free-agent signing Sammy Watkins, Bateman will help usher in a new-look receiving corps in Baltimore.

Marquise Brown and Mark Andrews will, of course, be returning, but quarterback Lamar Jackson should have more proficient options in the passing game than he did a year ago.

The Rashod Bateman hype train has officially left the station. And we’re only a couple of weeks removed form the draft.