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Bateman and St-Juste Ready to be the Next Gophers Taken in the NFL Draft

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The 2021 NFL Draft will be held April 29 – May 1 in Cleveland, Ohio, and two-former Gophers – Rashod Bateman and Benjamin St-Juste – are expected to hear their name called.

Bateman is one of the best to ever wear the Maroon and Gold and declared for the NFL after three prolific seasons as a Gopher. The Tifton, Ga., native caught at least one pass in all 31 games he played in and made 147 receptions (sixth in school history) for 2,395 yards (sixth in school history) and 19 touchdowns (fifth in school history).

He recorded ten 100-yard receiving games (fourth in school history) and set school records as a freshman and sophomore. His freshman records were in receptions (51) and receiving yards (704), while his sophomore records were receiving touchdowns (11) and receiving yards (1,219).

Bateman was named the 2019 Big Ten's Richter–Howard Receiver of the Year and was one of 12 finalists for the Biletnikoff Award. He was named All-Big Ten First Team and AP Third-Team All-America.

Media musings have Bateman being taken in the first round, which would make him the first Gopher to be drafted in the first round since Laurence Maroney in 2006 (21st overall to Patriots).

Bateman's former Gopher teammate Tyler Johnson was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year and went on to win the Super Bowl. Bateman and Johnson will be the first true Minnesota receivers to be selected in consecutive NFL Drafts ever. Prior to Bateman and Johnson the last two Gopher receivers drafted were Eric Decker (2010) and Ron Johnson (2002), which means that prior to this year Minnesota had two receivers drafted in the previous 18 years.

St-Juste played two seasons at Minnesota after joining the Gophers as a graduate transfer prior to the 2019 season. He played in 18 career games and made 59 tackles for Minnesota, which included 1.5 tackles for loss. The long and rangy 6-3 prospect also broke up 13 passes in his career and was named All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in 2019.

Minnesota set a school record for a seven-round NFL Draft in 2020 when it had five players selected in Antoine Winfield Jr., Kamal Martin, Tyler Johnson, Carter Coughlin and Chris Williamson. The Gophers had one player (Blake Cashman) taken in 2019 and should have two drafted this year, meaning Minnesota will have eight players drafted in the last three years.