Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta said it was insulting to suggest his team didn’t have any receivers.
But even with the faith DeCosta showed in the existing receivers on Baltimore’s roster, he felt like adding to the position with their first-round pick on Thursday night.
The Ravens selected Minnesota wide receiver Rashod Bateman with the 27th overall pick in the NFL Draft.
Bateman is the fifth wide receiver selected in the first round behind Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith and Kadarius Toney.
Bateman had just five games played for Minnesota last season, but in his final full year with the team in 2019 he caught 60 passes for 1,219 yards and 11 touchdowns in earning first-team All-Big Ten honors.
Bateman joins Sammy Watkins, Marquise Brown, Miles Boykin, Jaylon Moore and James Proche along options at receiver with the Ravens for quarterback Lamar Jackson.