Rashod Bateman is a dream 2021 NFL Draft target for Titans

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 09: Rashod Bateman #13 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers celebrates his touchdown with Tyler Johnson #6 of the against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the first quarter at TCFBank Stadium on November 9, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 09: Rashod Bateman #13 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers celebrates his touchdown with Tyler Johnson #6 of the against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the first quarter at TCFBank Stadium on November 9, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

Does Bateman have enough experience?

I said that Jack Conklin, Corey Davis and Adoree Jackson had all started or played very heavily for 3+ seasons before being drafted by the Titans, but they aren’t the only players drafted in the first round by Jon Robinson.

In the last three seasons, he has drafted Rashaan Evans, Jeffery Simmons and Isaiah Wilson. Evans was a contributor but wasn’t a starter until his last two seasons and Simmons played as a freshman, but only started three games.

Isaiah Wilson, on the other hand, was a redshirt sophomore who only played for two seasons and wasn’t even healthy or his entire year last year.

By that standard, Bateman’s 26 starts are more than enough to catch the Titans eye in the 2021 NFL Draft.

The one caveat to the Isaiah Wilson pick is that the Titans do have an in house replacement for the position he is going to fill someday, so there is relatively no pressure on him to be able to come in and be immediately acclimated to the NFL.

I’m not sure if that is a factor, but for a team like the Titans that heavily focuses on need in the draft, that might be something to consider.