Ohio State All-American receiver taken No. 4 overall by Tennessee in 2026 to be Cam Ward's top target.
Carnell Tate was the consensus WR1 in the 2026 draft class and the Tennessee Titans' unanimous choice at No. 4. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Ohio State All-American recorded nine touchdowns in his final college season - five on plays of 40-plus yards - and brings the contested-catch and downfield ability the Titans' passing game has lacked.
Path to the league
Ohio State product taken 4th overall by Tennessee in 2026, the highest wide receiver selection since the position reset at the top of recent drafts. His position coach at Ohio State, Brian Hartline, previously worked alongside Titans OC Brian Daboll, which gave Tennessee familiarity with Tate's technique and tendencies before the draft.
College profile
Nine touchdowns in 2025, five on 40-plus-yard plays. All-American. Won in man coverage and handled the contested-catch role as Ohio State's primary receiver. His frame (6-3, 195) gives him a catch radius that college corners couldn't match and that Tennessee expects to translate immediately against NFL corners.
Sources
- ESPN: Titans say Carnell Tate was perfect fit for Cam Ward
- NFL.com: 2026 NFL Draft - Carnell Tate
Statistics
2025 season and career▶Receiving · career
| Year | Team | GP | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | titans | 7 | 34 | 413 | 12.1 | 1 | 33 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Wide Receiver
- Group
- offense
- College
- Ohio State
- Hometown
- Chicago, IL, USA
- Age
- 21
- Status
- active
Latest news about Carnell Tate
All news →Browns Edge Titans 27-24 in Week 7
Cleveland Browns 27, Tennessee Titans 24 at Nissan Stadium. Deshaun Watson went 25 of 36 for 308 yards with 1 interception.
Titans Beat Colts 26-20 in Week 6
Tennessee Titans 26, Indianapolis Colts 20 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Cam Ward went 11 of 22 for 102 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception.
Ravens Beat Titans 24-18 in Week 4
Baltimore Ravens 24, Tennessee Titans 18 at M&T Bank Stadium. Lamar Jackson went 15 of 20 for 222 yards with 2 touchdowns.
Giants Beat Titans 12-7 in Week 3
New York Giants 12, Tennessee Titans 7 at MetLife Stadium. Jameis Winston went 14 of 22 for 118 yards.
Titans wave off Cam Ward's minicamp accuracy issues: the staff isn't worried
Some scattered misses over the past few weeks drew attention, but Tennessee's coaches still see Cam Ward as the long-term answer. The quarterback says the inconsistency comes with learning a new offense and new receivers.
Worst to first, ranked: the Lions are the clear bet, and it's not close
Eight teams finished last in their division in 2025. Detroit has a 38 percent shot at flipping to first. After that, the odds fall off a cliff.