NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Titans gave the NFL the first surprise of the NFL Draft, choosing Carnell Tate with the fourth overall pick.
"I knew there was a thought, but I didn't think I would go this early," Tate said.
But two personnel men with other teams told me he should not have been a surprise and rates as worthy of the selection.
He had two contact points with the Titans, at the combine and with a 30 visit to their headquarters.
The talented 6-foot-2, 192-pound receiver was widely regarded as the best at the position in the draft and will upgrade Tennessee's group, but arrives with analysts questioning if he can become a true No. 1.
"He';s a bigger, vertical guy," Mike Borgonzi said. "He is very efficient with his route running. I thought he had exceptional ball skills, being able to track the football, his catch radius downfield. I think he's going to be a great fit in this offense. He has the ability to play big downfield, all these contested catches downfield, his ability to go up and catch the football, contort his body in certain ways, I think it's going to be great for Cam (Ward)."
Edge David Bailey went second to the Jets. Jeremiyah Love -- a dynamic running back long presumed to be the player Tennessee would land -- went third to the Cardinals.
That left them with edge Arvell Reese, linebacker Sonny Style, safety Caleb Downs and Tate among their possibilities.
Tate is viewed as a good route runner, whose 4.53 speed may not be a true measure of his game speed which should be sufficient. But he was second fiddle to Jeremiah Smith at Ohio State and many analysts question his yards-after-catch ability.
"I think I am best at catching the ball, my route running ability, my ability to get open and also my contested catch and also my blocking," he said. "I bring any(thing) and everything to the table. I'm a complete receiver. I do it all."
109 seconds of Carnell Tate winning downfield pic.twitter.com/atVWDcMbYN
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) March 11, 2026
"Very good hands and route running," said former Titans scout and PK.com contributor Blake Beddingfield. "More smooth than explosive. Lacks run after catch and contact. He's a No. 2 WR on most teams. He can run the route tree, but must work to get vertical with his average speed. He tracks the ball well."
The Titans need him to quickly emerge as their best wideout, ahead of Calvin Ridley, free-agent acquisition Wan'Dale Robinson and last year's two fourth-rounders, Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor.
The Houston Oilers drafted FL/WR Larry Elkins first overall in the 1965 AFL Draft, per @pfref.
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) April 24, 2026
At fourth overall, Carnell Tate is the highest drafted WR in Oilers/#Titans NFL history.
Corey Davis was fifth overall in 2017.
But the Titans will be patient.
Borgonzi emphasized Tate was still young in his final season in college.
"You have to work your way to be a No. 1 receiver," he said. "The guys that he'd played next to are some pretty good players during the last couple of years at Ohio State. I saw a 20-year-old kid that continued to get better."
In three years at Ohio State, he played 39 games, catching 121 passes for 1,879 yards. for a 15.5 average and 14 touchdowns.
"I'm looking to improve that game at the next level and continue to get better," Tate said.
Borgonzi said Tate separates with burst at the top of routes at the second and third level, a burst he also uses effectively to get off the line of scrimmage, where he is elusive, sudden and savvy.
"There are always things these guys can improve on," he said. "They are still developing."
Said Dane Brugler of Tate in The Beast at The Athletic: "Tate caught 77.3 percent of his targets in 2025, best among the 183 FBS receivers with an average depth of target of 12 yards or more."