One of the top wide receivers in the 2021 NFL draft, and a potential option for the Cleveland Browns with the No. 26 overall pick, is Rashod Bateman from Minnesota. Bateman already has some strong chemistry with a Browns player who could be his mentor in Cleveland, too.
Bateman spent some of this offseason working out with Browns wideout Odell Beckham Jr., who has been rehabbing from his season-ending knee surgery. While not a perfect comparison, Bateman does share some athletic traits and the ability to make crazy catches that have made Beckham an NFL star. The duo spent time training this offseason, with Bateman posting several pictures of the wideout together on his Instagram feed,
#Browns WR Odell Beckham Jr. and University of Minnesota WR Rashod Bateman trained together and formed a bond as Bateman prepared for the draft. Here’s a pic from Bateman’s Instagram. pic.twitter.com/dYQbchMbYF
— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) April 22, 2021
Wide receiver isn’t necessarily the Browns biggest draft need, but GM Andrew Berry made it clear he’s using this draft with a more long-term focus in mind than plugging immediate holes. That could lead to a reunion between Bateman and his workout partner, Beckham–if Bateman even lasts to Cleveland’s first pick this coming Thursday.
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