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Bateman to Forgo Remaining Eligibility, Focus on 2021 NFL Draft
8/4/2020 7:07:00 AM | Football
Georgia native ranks eighth all-time at Minnesota in receiving yards
University of Minnesota receiver Rashod Bateman announced today that he is forgoing his remaining eligibility at Minnesota to focus on preparing for the 2021 NFL Draft.
Bateman was named Third-Team All-American last season, All-Big Ten First Team and was the Big Ten Receiver of the Year as a sophomore. The Georgia, native, who was also one of 12 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Awards, caught 60 passes for 1,219 yards (second most in a single season) and 11 touchdowns (tied for second most in a single season).
As a freshman in 2018, he caught 51 passes for 704 yards and six touchdowns.
The 2021 NFL Draft is scheduled to be held from April 29 - May 1 in Cleveland, Ohio. The last Minnesota receiver drafted was Bateman's teammate and Minnesota's all-time leading receiver Tyler Johnson, who was taken in the fifth round in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Bateman played in 26 games for Minnesota and in two years solidified himself as one of the best receivers ever to wear the Maroon and Gold. He ends his Minnesota career with 111 catches (tied for 12th in school history) for 1,923 yards (tied for eighth in school history) and 17 touchdowns (tied for fifth in school history).Wishing well❤️ pic.twitter.com/fxV1FI7r7o
— Rashod Bateman (@R_bateman2) August 4, 2020
Bateman was named Third-Team All-American last season, All-Big Ten First Team and was the Big Ten Receiver of the Year as a sophomore. The Georgia, native, who was also one of 12 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Awards, caught 60 passes for 1,219 yards (second most in a single season) and 11 touchdowns (tied for second most in a single season).
As a freshman in 2018, he caught 51 passes for 704 yards and six touchdowns.
He caught at least one pass in all 26 games (tied for seventh in school history) he played in and had seven 100-yard receiving games (sixth in school history). He set school sophomore records for receiving yards (1,219) and touchdowns (11) last season and set school freshman records for receptions (51) and receiving yards (704) in 2018.Love ya @R_bateman2!! #RTB #HYPRR #SkiUMah pic.twitter.com/WDk7rrcMpX
— P.J. Fleck (@Coach_Fleck) August 4, 2020
The 2021 NFL Draft is scheduled to be held from April 29 - May 1 in Cleveland, Ohio. The last Minnesota receiver drafted was Bateman's teammate and Minnesota's all-time leading receiver Tyler Johnson, who was taken in the fifth round in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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