Cam Ward to Carnell Tate has a nice ring to it. As the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft builds chemistry with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Tennessee Titans fans will love the sweet on-the-field music the quarterback and wide receiver orchestrates, especially if one bold prediction pans out for the former Ohio State star.
With all the success OSU receivers have had in the NFL, could Tate be the next in line to captivate the league? As Ward looks to take the next step in his career under the guidance of new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, finding ways to utilize the weapons around him will be a big stepping stone.
In selecting Tate, the Titans got their young QB a dynamic down-the-field threat who has No. 1 receiver written all over him. While Jeremiah Smith received most of the accolades at Ohio State, Tate was no joke in the Buckeyes’ offense. With his size, body control and overall playmaking ability, the Titans feel like they got themselves a unique option for Ward. But talent alone won’t win him a starting role.
"The draft picks, [Carnell] Tate was a good player for us on our board," Daboll told reporters during rookie minicamp back in May. "Again, he's going to have to come in here and earn everything. But he has a good skillset. He could do a variety of things, contested catches, run routes, very smart. So, we were happy to get him along with the other draft picks and free agents that we got."
Carnell Tate must earn his role in Tennessee
Along with Calvin Ridley returning, the Titans added Wan'Dale Robinson in free agency and hope Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike can build on promising rookie seasons. With Tate in the mix, the Titans offense has a chance to be explosive, especially if Ridley is impactful, but also willing to take a backseat to Tate’s potential success. How quickly Tate gets to that success will depend on how well he picks up the playbook at the NFL level.
So far, Tate is doing fantastic in that transition due to the coaches he has around him.
"It started with Coach (Brian) Hartline at Ohio State," Tate said following practice on June 17. "He made it a priority for me to learn all of the different receiver groups because the more you understand what each position has, the more you understand the playbook, so there was nothing new just coming over here. The more positions you know, the more you can understand the playbook; that way, you can play different positions."
Why Carnell Tate could become the Titans' WR1 as a rookie
Will this all lead to Tate claiming the WR1 role?
The bold prediction here is that he will very quickly. The Titans have good targets, but the Ward and Tate connection will be hard to slow down, especially with Ward's ability to improvise when plays break down. That is where Tate will exploit secondaries with that contested catch ability and the route running necessary to get open when those plays do break down.
While Tate has already shown off all that ability during offseason OTAs, he will continue to impress leading into the season and will be a reason the Titans move on from Ridley by the NFL Trade Deadline. Although Tate will fall short of a 1,000-yard season, he will account for at least 10 receiving touchdowns, with five of them coming on plays of 50-plus yards.
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