The Baltimore Ravens had high expectations for wideout Rashod Bateman when they took him with the 27th overall pick in the first round of the 201 NFL Draft.
But, as sometimes happens with high draft picks, things didn't work out the way everyone planned.
Poor play and injuries plagued Bateman's first two seasons in the league, when he played just 12 and six games, respectively. A better season in 2023 gave the team hopes of a resurgence and then a career season last year put Bateman right back on the map.
That's why NFL.com's Tom Blair thinks Bateman is the team's most unappreciated player heading into the new year.
“Most NFL wide receivers are going to be kept off this list by their high Q Scores — except in Baltimore, where wideouts tend to play second, third, and fourth fiddle to running backs, tight ends, and, duh, Lamar Jackson.
“If you’re a secondary receiver, like Bateman, well, you’re gonna have to search the back room for fiddle No. 5.”
Bateman was drafted with a first-round pick (No. 27 overall) in 2021 with obvious high expectations, but injuries robbed him of chances in Years 1 and 2.
And now comes the signing of DeAndre Hopkins. Still …
Bateman seemed to really pick up his game after the drafting of Zay Flowers in the first round in 2023, and it might be because some of the pressure was off him to be the No. 1 guy. It didn't hurt that star running back Derrick Henry joined the team as a free agent ahead of the 2024 season, further relieving some of the expectations for him to be an offensive leader.
It's possible Bateman can thrive as a role player in the NFL, but that's never the expectation of a No. 1 draft pick.