BALTIMORE — The Ravens bolstered their beleaguered passing attack by selecting Minnesota wide receiver Rashod Bateman with the 27th overall pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night.
The Ravens ranked last in the NFL last season in yards passing averaging 171.2 per game. Baltimore also attempted the least passes in the league with 406.
The Ravens turned their attention to defense with their second pick in the first round, taking Penn State linebacker Jayson Oweh with the 31st pick.
The addition of Bateman provides quarterback Lamar Jackson with another downfield threat.
Bateman has solid size — 6-foot-2, 210 pounds — with exceptional hands. He is also a solid route-runner and was ranked was eighth in the country with 20.3 yards per catch in 2019.
Bateman opted out of his junior year due to COVID-19, but he decided to return when the Big Ten announced it would have a season. He played five 2020 games and caught 36 passes for 472 yards with two touchdowns.
The Ravens also signed free-agent wide receiver Sammy Watkins this offseason, but Bateman will have a chance to make an immediate impact. Bateman will get the opportunity to line up opposite of fellow wide receiver Marquise Brown, who also has the blazing speed to get behind a secondary.
The Ravens had a need for a pass rusher after losing three key players to free agency. Matt Judon, who led the team with six sacks last season, signed a new deal with the Patriots as a free agent. Yannick Ngakoue signed with the Raiders after finishing with eight overall, but only three in nine games for Baltimore. Jihad Ward, who signed with the Jaguars, managed three sacks last season.
Oweh is an explosive player that can create matchup problems, However, he did not manage a sack for Penn State last season. He finished with seven sacks over his three-year collegiate career. However, Oweh is a solid tackler that should fit well with the Ravens defensive system and he’ll have the opportunity to make an impact as a rookie.
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