Carnell Tate Reacts to Joining Cam Ward, Titans After Going No. 4 in NFL Draft 2026

Carnell Tate has a new home after being selected with the No. 4 overall pick by the Tennessee Titans during the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday.

It was a bit of a surprise, given that Tate was often mocked a bit further down the board, and even he was a little surprised:

But the former Ohio State receiver was feeling excited about pairing with quarterback Cam Ward nonethless.

"I'm a reliable target for him," he said after his selection. "Whenever he need me I'm there for him, I'm always open."

Tate had an excellent college career, registering 121 catches for 1,872 yards and 14 touchdowns across three seasons. Given the incredible wide receivers who have played for the program during that time—Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka are already in the NFL, while Jeremiah Smith is a likely top-five pick in next year's draft—that level of production was impressive.

B/R's Damian Parson compared Tate to DeVonta Smith in his scouting report, describing him as a "route-running technician" who "specializes in manipulating defensive backs" and "runs every branch on the route tree."

He added that his "height (6'2") and wingspan offer a quarterback-friendly target. He extends the catch point away from his frame and plucks the ball from the air. Tate is a bouncy athlete who can climb the ladder over defenders at the catch point. He has soft, reliable hands and excellent ball tracking skills."

He's the sort of playmaker who should instantly bolster Tennessee's offense, even if there's the expected adjustment period to the NFL level. Fans in Nashville have to be pretty excited by the selection.