Carnell

Tate

We expect first-round picks to shine in these environs, so this is not necessarily a surprise, but Glennon notes that the same could not be said for the Titans’ last first-round wide receiver, Treylon Burks. Titans QB Cam Ward complimented Tate’s hands and ability to win against man coverage. Fellow WR Wan’Dale Robinson said Tate “had a really good day and was just making some incredible catches.” Tate has a chance to be WR3/FLEX-viable right away.

The deal is fully guaranteed and includes a signing bonus worth more than $33.6 million. Tate, 21, is expected to step into the Titans’ No. 1 wide receiver role right away and can be treated as a WR3/FLEX in spring drafts. He posted a 44/793/8 receiving line in his third and final season at Ohio State last year, while averaging 3.52 yards per route run.

Although he never reached 1,000 yards during his three years in the Buckeyes’ perennially loaded receiver corps, Tate (6’2/192) emerged as one of college football’s cleanest perimeter separators last season. The now 21-year-old turned 67 targets into 51 receptions for 875 yards (17.2 YPR) and nine touchdowns with a 76.1 percent catch rate. That’s eye-popping efficiency. Tate was particularly lethal downfield, converting 11 deep receptions into six scores, posting a zero percent drop rate in the process. Tate’s ability to consistently create explosive gains was reflected in his 85.7 percent contested-catch rate and top-tier 147.7 passer rating when targeted deep. He provided true three-level value. Tate also showed strong situational reliability, posting 35 first down conversions on 51 receptions, a 68.6 percent chain-moving rate. On the whole, he averaged a stellar 3.03 yards per route run, torching man (3.12 yards per route run) and zone coverage (2.71) alike. With polished ball skills, pro-ready route pacing, down-field economy, and no glaring usage red flags, Tate projects as a high-floor, high-efficiency NFL X/Z hybrid who can immediately step into a starting role to help Cam Ward and an offense that finished 30th in scoring last season.

Vacchiano adds that the team knows they need a wide receiver and “did a lot of work on” Ohio State WR Carnell Tate. Both players took top-30 visits with the Commanders and are viewed as potential top-10 picks. The pick could simply come down to which player is on the board when the team picks at No. 7 overall. The Commanders focused on improving the pass defense in free agency, but they could still benefit from adding a player like Styles. Vacchiano notes, Ohio State S Caleb Downs “might be in the mix, too.”

Jeremiah also thinks Ohio State S Caleb Downs’ odds of being drafted in the top 10 are greater than 50.0 percent. He adds that Ohio State DT Kayden McDonald will be drafted between picks 25 and 35. Jeremiah’s colleague, Ian Rapoport, said last week that he believes Tate will be drafted in the top 15. Sounds like his stock is ticking upward.

The Commanders held a big pre-draft Top 30 visit Tuesday, with many top prospects heading to Top Golf as part of a group outing of over 20 players. Holding the No. 7 pick in the draft, the Commanders have quite the list of visiting prospects, though it is absent quarterbacks with Jayden Daniels firmly holding down that position. In addition to top offensive players in Tate, Lemon and Love, the Commanders also hosted top defensive players in Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese and Rueben Bain. What Washington does with the pick is still up in the air, though now nearly an entire round’s worth of prospects can say they’ve played Top Golf in the DMV area.

As the NFL Network ran clips of Lemon, Ohio State WR Carnell Tate and Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson, Rapoport said he expects there to be two wide receivers drafted during the 2026 NFL Draft’s first 15 picks. He then said that the picks 16-18 range is a “good spot” for Lemon. Presumably, Rapoport believes Tate and Tyson will be drafted ahead of him. While teams can, of course, swap picks, the Jets, Lions and Vikings currently hold picks 16,17 and 18, respectively. Rapoport’s colleague Cameron Wolfe adds that Lemon has a top-30 visit with the Dolphins, who hold the 11th and 30th overall picks, next week.

It’s the latest signal that the Browns, who have the sixth overall pick in the 2026 draft, are among the favorites to land Tate, who last season at Ohio State caught 51 passes for 875 yards and nine touchdowns last season while averaging 17.2 yards per catch. Tate would likely profile as the Browns’ default No. 1 wideout over Jerry Jeudy Isaiah Bond, though it remains unclear who might be throwing the football to Tate in Cleveland. The Browns could also take Mauigoa and improve an offensive line graded by PFF as last year’s fourth worst run-blocking unit.

The Browns absolutely have to improve a wideout room that they’ve done little with this offseason, really only adding Tylan Wallace. Jerry Jeudy currently profiles as the No. 1 receiver and they may wind up with Isaiah Bond as the No. 2 as things stand. Tate makes all the sense in the world for the Browns from the outside looking in. Of course, it’s hard to say for sure that he’ll be there at No. 6 in a draft that’s this hard to identify real difference-makers in. But we’d be stunned if the Browns didn’t leave the first round of the draft with a wideout.

It was a slower time than some expected from Tate, who ran an unofficial 4.54 on both attempts. That said, it’s still a solid time for the 6-foot-2, 192-pound receiver who is viewed by many as the top receiver in this year’s class. Tate will have a chance to improve his time at Ohio State’s pro day, which is scheduled for March 25th, but we wouldn’t expect this time to have any kind of impact on his draft stock.