Titans Take Carnell Tate Fourth Overall in 2026 NFL Draft
The Tennessee Titans selected Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night in Pittsburgh. The pick hands quarterback Cam Ward a new top target.
Tate, 21, walked the stage shortly after commissioner Roger Goodell announced the selection and pulled a Titans hat on for the cameras. Arizona had taken Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the third overall pick, leaving Tate on the board. Tennessee turned in its card minutes later. The Titans entered the draft holding the No. 4 selection after finishing 3-14 in 2025.
Tate posted career-bests in the 2025 season with 51 receptions for 875 yards and nine touchdowns across 11 games. He missed three games in the middle of the season with a calf strain. His 17.2 yards per reception ranked among the top marks in the Big Ten. Across 39 games at Ohio State, he tallied 121 receptions for 1,872 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was named a second-team All-American and first-team All-Big Ten in 2025.
The pick reshapes a Titans receiver room that added Wan’Dale Robinson in free agency this offseason. Tate joins a group that also includes Calvin Ridley, Elic Ayomanor, and Chimere Dike. Head coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll are working through their first offseason program in Tennessee after both were hired in January.
Daboll said in February that Ward was a key factor in his decision to take the job.
“I obviously have a relationship with Robert, dating back to the New York days,” Daboll said. “His vision of what he wants to do and how he wants to do it, Mike and the vision he has, and then ultimately Cam was a big factor.”
Ward, the top overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, is working his way back from a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder suffered in the team’s Week 18 loss at Jacksonville. The injury did not require surgery. General manager Mike Borgonzi told reporters last week that Ward is trending toward full participation in June minicamp.
“He’s been out there. I’m sure you’ve seen the videos of him throwing. He looks good,” Borgonzi said.
Tate grew up in Chicago before finishing high school at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. He arrived at Ohio State as a five-star recruit. Scouts have praised his route-running precision, contested-catch ability, and hands in traffic.
The Titans hold nine remaining picks across the rest of the draft. Rounds 2 and 3 resume Friday at 7 p.m. Eastern in Pittsburgh. Rounds 4 through 7 run Saturday. The NFL has not released the 2026 regular-season schedule, so Tennessee’s opening opponent remains unknown.
First Take: Dynasty Impact
The Titans picking Carnell Tate was a surprise, for me at least. The landing spot in terms of volume is excellent. The Titans were in need of a solid WR1, but without a supporting cast, his first season may be an uphill battle. I think the Dynasty community will prefer Jordan Tyson as the 1.2 in rookie drafts, but I think it’s debatable.
