NFL Scouting Report: WR Rashod Bateman (Minnesota)

PSO’s original Scouting Reports strive to be uniquely valuable in evaluating a player’s future outlook by focusing on the four main subjects that summarize a player’s likelihood of succeeding at the next level including: Natural Physical Tools, College Game Film, proven Production, and overall Risk that each individual player presents to a team drafting him. For a full breakdown of PSO’s Scouting Reports, click here.

Bio

Pos: WR

Hometown: Tifton, GA

School: Minnesota

Class: Junior

DOB: 11/29/1999 (age 21)

Height: 6’0″ (44%) | Weight: 190lbs (25%)

Hands: 9.5” (69%) | Arms: 33” (82%)

Bench: N/A | 40 Time: 4.39s (86%)

Interesting Facts

Opted out (had COVID) when Big10 canceled season, then returned, played 5 games
Set Minnesota freshman records with 51 REC and 704 REC YDS
1st-Team All-Big Ten and 2nd-Team All-American (2019)
Led Big Ten with 20.3 YPC, 3rd with 11 REC TD in 2019
Almost 1,400 career snaps out wide, 338 in the slot

Physical Tools

Pros

Fantastic length — 33″ arms (82nd %tile)
Solid frame (6’0″, 190 lbs)
Straight-line speed (unofficial 4.39s 40-YD)
Adequate hand size (9.5″)
Strength throughout his frame

Cons

36″ vert (56th %tile), 123″ broad (62nd)
Lacks elite explosion or quickness
Smaller than listed (6’2″/210)

Grade: A-

Game Film

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMc3l9m8-W4

Pros

High-quality route-runner — strong cuts and deceptive breaks
Ran a relatively diverse route tree
Strong, creative release package creates immediate separation
Attacks the catch point and shows good strength in contested situations
Hand-fights for positioning throughout his route
Stacks overtop of DBs very well despite his limitations
Savvy ball-carrier after the catch
Had to adjust to a fair number of poorly-thrown balls

Cons

Concentration drops have remained an issue
Not incredibly shifty, muscles through most tackles
Benefitted from many RPO concepts

Grade: A

Production

Pros

1st-Team All-Big Ten (2019), 3rd-Team All-Big Ten (2020)
Led Big Ten with 20.3 YPC, 3rd with 11 REC TD in 2019
Very experienced on the outside (nearly 1,400 wide snaps)
Best production came outside (662 wide snaps in 2019)
124.2 passer rating while targeted < 10 yards (84.3 short grade)
Still produced in the slot despite 2020 struggles (33 REC, 508 YDS)
Forced 36 missed tackles over 147 career REC (9 in 2020)
Efficient 3.45 yards per route run
87.1 overall PFF grade (2019) fell to 81.1 (2020)
Consistent production against man coverage (87.4 grade)

Cons

Lackluster junior season after breakout campaign
14.3% drop rate in 2020 (6 of 46 targets)
19 drops over 166 career targets (11%)
Poor production past 10 yards in 2020

Grade: A-

Risk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SenniKTp0Nw

Pros

Dominated the Big Ten as a true sophomore
Release package at the LOS is already NFL-caliber
Proven outside weapon (80% of career snaps out wide)
Plenty of experience — 1,738 career snaps
Physical throughout his route and at the catch point
Great frame and length and make contested REC’s against NFL DBs
2020 decline can be attributed to opt-out reversal (and COVID itself)

Cons

Too many focus drops for the quality hands he possesses
Lacking in elite explosion, elusiveness
Role changed drastically in 2020 — mostly slot crossers
Benefitted from attention paid to WR Tyler Johnson first 2 years

Grade: A-

Overall

A 3-star recruit from Georgia, Rashod Bateman opted to head north for college, starring alongside now-Buccaneers WR Tyler Johnson at Minnesota. Primarily deployed on the outside his 1st 2 years, Bateman grew tremendously as a sophomore and consistently displayed both separation ability and YAC skills while tasked with a variety of routes.

Shifting inside as a junior after opting out then back in, Bateman didn’t see near the success as his previous seasons due in large part to the entire team’s dysfunction. His skills, however, still flashed regardless of whether the ball came his way. More often than not, Bateman wins at the LOS with a diverse, skillful release package. Not the quickest or fastest, he’s smooth in and out of his breaks and gauges his acceleration well.

Capable of creating separation at the top of his route stems in a number of ways, he does a great job of attacking the ball in-air and winning 50/50 chances as well. Concentration drops have been a recurring frustration, but after the catch, Bateman has great vision and strength to find and create extra yardage. Projecting as an instant-impact weapon on the perimeter, what he lacks in raw athleticism is more than made up for with route-running savviness and effort at the catch point.

Pro Comp: WR Michael Thomas (New Orleans Saints)

Projected Round: Mid/Late-1st Round

Prime Destinations: NE, WFT, CHI, IND, NYJ, JAX, BAL

OVERALL Grade: A-