Many people expected to see Carnell Tate become a first-round draft pick with several of his Ohio State teammates on Thursday night, but not many thought he’d go before Arvell Reese in the NFL Draft order.
However, that’s what happened: the Tennessee Titans surprised many people by selecting the talented wide receiver fourth overall, rather than opting for a solid defensive player like his teammates, Reese or Sonny Styles. Upon getting his jersey and draft cap, Tate seemed excited by the notion that he’ll be linking up with young quarterback Cam Ward in Tennessee.
Tate will now play under the Titans’ new head coach, Brian Daboll, who the New York Giants fired this past season.
“I’m a reliable target for him. Whenever he needs me, I’m there for him. I’m always open,” the No. 4 pick said when asked on stage about his message for his new teammate, Ward.
While some Titans fans expressed excitement about Ward joining the roster, others expressed frustration with the team over the move.
“Look, once the pick is in. I’m all in, no matter what. They get my full support. But damn was I hoping for a much different outcome,” one commenter wrote on the team’s X post announcing Tate as their pick.
“You couldn’t trade down? He better be a top 5 WR or at least AJ Brown f*** man,” one fan commented.
“He doesn’t have a single elite trait but he’s a top 4 pick (expletive) this team,” another fan said.
“No way!!!! Such a good off season just to throw it away. Any wr was a bad pick at 4. Damn I’m so pissed. Trash pick,” a commenter said.
“A WR that runs a 4.53 there’s linebackers with better speed l! Smh the @Titans drop the ball on this one!! Horrible pick he’ll never be open!” another individual commented on the Titans’ post.
While the Tate pick surprised people, it wasn’t an unprecedented move to see a wide receiver go in the top four. It happened last year when the Jacksonville Jaguars traded up to select Colorado cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter second, and in 2024 when the Arizona Cardinals chose Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. fourth.
Tate is a 6-foot-2, 192-pound receiver who received a 6.7 NFL Draft prospect grade on NFL.com, which indicated he’s a first-year starter. He was the Buckeyes’ second-best receiver last season, finishing with 875 yards and nine touchdowns on 51 receptions.
This year’s early selections could show how much some teams are looking to upgrade their rosters with offensive players rather than improving their defense. The top four also included the expected No. 1 pick, Fernando Mendoza, to the Las Vegas Raiders, and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love going third overall to the Cardinals.
The good news is that for the fans disappointed by the Titans’ move, he’ll have a chance to prove all the naysayers wrong when the regular season unfolds months from now.