Alabama Football: Tide breaks record in final NFL Mock Draft
By Dakota Cox
Alabama football breaks record in NFL Mock Draft 5.0
20. Chicago Bears: Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota
Chicago is another team that needs to be in the trade market if they can manage to find a suitor. Their issue is that no one wants to trade this far back, so it would take all sorts of capital.
If they stay here, it’s a relatively safe bet that they would go offense. Ryan Pace is drafting for his job, and they need to find someone who can make a big splash. With Andy Dalton being one of their weakest links, they need to give him every chance to succeed.
Bateman had plenty of 2019 success, but his 2020 was derailed due to COVID-19. He opted out before returning, but he also physically battled the virus. Because of this, you can’t really gather much from his 2020 stats and film.
Still, Bateman has all sorts of potential. If he finds the right fit, he will be a WR1 in the NFL. The Bears need depth at the position, and Bateman will be a solid player for them.
Bateman isn’t at the same level as Smith or Waddle, but he’s pretty close. He is an electric runner with a wild amount of athleticism. He could do better than Chicago, but he can still have a solid career in this scenario.