The Tennessee Titans made the first somewhat surprising pick of the 2026 NFL Draft when they selected former Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate with the number four overall pick. With his first NFL game on the horizon, CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson believes he was worth the fourth overall pick for the Titans.
Tate was drafted with the expectation that he can become a foundational piece of the offense and a long-term number one target for second-year quarterback Cam Ward. That might be a lot to ask from a rookie, but everything about the situation suggests the Titans had a plan.
Tate Could Become One of the Faces of the Titans’ Offense
The biggest question surrounding the Titans' selection was whether Tate's talent will eventually justify taking him fourth overall. Including Tate, only five wide receivers
(six if you include Travis Hunter) have been selected in the top five of the NFL Draft since 2015.
Excluding Jacksonville Jaguars WR/CB Travis Hunter, former Titans WR Corey Davis had the worst rookie season of those top five selections with 375 yards and 0 touchdowns. So, it made sense why Titans fans, specifically, may have had concerns about the Tate selection.
However, a strong training camp has many anticipating his NFL regular-season debut. Tate doesn't need to immediately become one of the best receivers in the NFL for the pick to be successful, but Tennessee needs to see enough flashes to believe they have found a long-term offensive cornerstone.
Could Tate become one of the faces of the Titans offense? That's what the franchise is banking on, beginning with a promising start to his rookie campaign.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans' Carnell Tate gamble could pay off in a big way
