Tennessee Titans make surprising pick in top 5 of NFL Draft
By David Wasson
Published:
The Tennessee Titans sent the first shock wave through the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night, selecting Ohio State standout wide receiver Carnell Tate with the fourth overall pick.
Tate is the sixth Buckeye wide receiver to be taken in the first round in the last five NFL Drafts – joining Garrett Wilson (10th overall) and Chris Olave (11th) in 2022, Jaxon Smith-Njigba (20th) in 2023, Marvin Harrison Jr. (fourth) in 2024 and Emeka Egbuka (19th) in 2025.
“He’s gonna be asked to be the No. 1, and at Ohio State he wasn’t the No. 1,” ESPN analyst Booger McFarland said of Tate. “How does he adjust when the coverages roll to him and the game plans are for him. … I don’t care about the speed: he knows how to separate and beat DB after DB in the Big Ten.”
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The 6-foot-2, 192-pound Tate caught 121 passes for 1,872 yards with 14 touchdowns in three seasons at Ohio State. He caught 51 passes for 875 yards and nine touchdowns in 2025 alongside fellow standout Jeremiah Smith – who still needs to play one more collegiate season before being eligible for the NFL.
Tate was also selected before Ohio State teammates Arvell Reese (LB), Sonny Styles (LB) and Caleb Downs (S). He will be paired with 2025 No. 1 overall pick and Titans quarterback Cam Ward.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
