The Tennessee Titans have selected Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Tate spent three seasons with the Buckeyes, playing in 39 games at the college level. That included winning the national championship for the 2024 season. In that time, he managed to snag 121 receptions for 1,872 yards and 14 touchdowns. That’s 15.5 yards per reception.
With this pick, it appears that the Titans are investing in putting weapons around last year’s first overall pick, Cam Ward. He put together a solid rookie season in 2025, but with a new coaching staff, he’s going to be looking to find a way to get comfortable quick in 2026. Adding a weapon around him in Tate is a major step in doing just that.
What Scouts Were Saying About Tennessee Titans Pick Carnell Tate Before the NFL Draft
Coming into the NFL Draft, there was no doubt that Carnell Tate would be one of the first wide receivers off the board. It came down to who the individual liked between Tate and Jordyn Tyson.
In the case of Mel Kiper Jr, he ranked Tate as his second-best available wide receiver on his Big Board. Importantly, that was also good enough to be ranked No. 8 overall on the Big Board, regardless of position. Clearly, the Titans found something to love with him that led to drafting him No. 4 overall.
At the NFL Combine, Tate was measured at 6’2 1/4″ and 192 lbs. He ran a 4.53 40-yard dash and had a 1.61 10-yard split. Back then, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein shared some insight into what he saw from the Ohio State star.
“Ascending ‘Z’ receiver who continues to step out from the shadow of Ohio State teammate Jeremiah Smith. Tate has good size but would benefit from more play strength. He builds momentum quickly on intermediate and deep routes, utilizing speed and tempo to pressure cornerbacks. He can win over the top on verticals or separate over the first two levels with route savvy and separation burst,” Zierlein wrote.
“Tate tracks throws at top speed and makes his adjustments to run under them. He combines timing, body control and catch radius to dominate air space and consistently lands on the winning side of contested catches. Pass catching comes effortlessly with soft, strong hands and he consistently works back on throws to keep ballhawks from hawking. Tate displays rare polish for a player his age and has the talent to become a heralded pro within his first three seasons.”
The Tennessee Titans Want to Open the Robert Saleh Era on the Right Foot
The last time the Tennessee Titans made it to the playoffs since 2021, when Mike Vrabel was the team’s head coach. Now, with the Brian Callahan era a memory, the Titans are hoping new head coach Robert Saleh can turn things around.
There is room for hope in Nashville too. Last year’s first overall pick, Cam Ward, looks to be the franchise cornerstone they hoped he would be. He threw for 3,169 yards and 15 touchdowns in a season that saw a coaching change midway through. With some stability, there is hope he can take that next step forward.
To get there, the Titans are hoping to put a quality roster around him the NFL Draft. That will continue with No. 35 overall pick on Day 2, unless a trade is made.
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