The Green Bay Packers will be well-prepared if Minnesota receiver Rashod Bateman falls into their range during the first round of the 2021 NFL draft on Thursday night.
According to Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano of ESPN, the Packers are one of several NFL teams to do “a lot of research” on Bateman during the pre-draft process.
General manager Brian Gutekunst was in Minneapolis for Minnesota’s pro day earlier this month. He met with Bateman, who ran 4.40, during the event.
While not specifically reported, it can be safely assumed the Packers met with Bateman over Zoom at some point. With no combine, teams could contact as many prospects as necessary through virtual means during the pre-draft process.
The Packers hold the 29th overall pick in the first round and could have an opportunity to add a playmaking receiver to the NFL’s No. 1 scoring offense. Bateman, an elite route runner in the Davante Adams mold, set school records for receiving yards (1,219) and receiving touchdowns (11) during a standout sophomore season in 2019. He played in five games in 2020 before opting out.
Teams may want to do extra work on players that opted out of games in 2020.
Bateman is only 21 years old and produced a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.13, making him a likely target for the Packers in the first round. He also produced at an early age in college and was durable over 31 games, raising his floor as an NFL prospect.
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