After a grueling pre-draft process and a ton of speculation, the Tennessee Titans surprised many when they selected Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate with the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

Tate may not have the traditional traits of the top wideouts in the class, but he is a polished receiver with a pedigree coming from the Ohio State wideout factory, and would likely step in as a starter as a rookie.

This selection comes as a bit of a surprise after weeks of the Titans being linked to Jeremiyah Love, Sonny Styles, or David Bailey by analysts and insiders, but it fills a definite need as general manager Mike Borgonzi attempts to build the offense around Cam Ward.

Tate is already a complete wideout with the ability to make an impact at every level of the field, showing rare polish for his age, but even better, he still has room to develop. The 6-foot-2, 192-pound receiver lacks the elite traits, but his in-game athleticism plays, and should allow him to add a different dimension to the offense.

Now, he is set to come to Nashville and join what has quickly become a crowded room with new addition Wan’Dale Robinson, and returning veterans Calvin Ridley, Elic Ayomanor, and Chimere Dike.

This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: 2026 NFL draft: Tennessee Titans select WR Carnell Tate in Round 1