Tennessee Titans rookie wide receiver Carnell Tate has received some high praise from media members and the team's coaching staff since he was drafted in April. While at Ohio State, Tate was never WR1, first sharing time with Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr., then with Jeremiah Smith, who will have no trouble being drafted in the first round of the 2027 NFL draft, should he choose to enter.
Tate's history with Ohio State, his desire to learn the entire playbook from back to front, and his ability to understand that his role on any team isn't just about catching passes are why Steve Smith Sr. called him a "veteran-minded rookie" just a few days ago.
But Tate also knows he has a lot to learn, and he's taking full advantage of sharing a room
with Calvin Ridley and Wan'Dale Robinson.
Carnell Tate on working with Calvin Ridley in Titans WR’s room. @NC5 pic.twitter.com/XqeDAa3qbs
— Steve Layman (@SteveLayman) August 3, 2026
"Oh, I try to pick Rid's brain every chance I get," Tate said in response to playing with Ridley and what advice he's offering. "I used to grow up watching Rid in his Alabama days. Rid is an elite receiver; he moves elite, so I try to soak up as much as possible from Rid."
Another reporter asked a follow-up question, wondering how it feels when Tate brings up to Ridley that he used to watch him in college.
"No, he feels great about it. He probably gets it a lot more often now with the new generation that's coming up. Rid's a little older than us, but he just said that he's here to pour into us, whatever I need, he's got me," he said.
After playing his first four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, Ridley spent one season with the Jacksonville Jaguars before joining the Tennessee Titans in 2024. During the 2024 season, Ridley recorded the third 1,000-yard season of his career. Last season, he was averaging 17.8 yards per catch before he broke his fibula during the Titans' Week 11 loss to the Houston Texans.
Ridley is looking to rebound in 2026 and show why he still belongs in this league. That grit and determination, along with the work he will have to put in, will be good for all of the young guys in the locker room to see. Setbacks happen, but it's how you bounce back that determines your path. Ridley knows this, and now he can impart the process onto the younger players along with his veteran knowledge of how to be successful in the NFL.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans' Calvin Ridley has taken Carnell Tate under his wing
