Carnell Tate’s early run at Tennessee Titans training camp is turning heads fast, and Pat McAfee is already floating a comparison that should have Titans fans feeling good about what they’re seeing.
Clips of Tate have been making the rounds online, fueled by toe-taps and one-handed catches that have set off plenty of buzz around Nashville. The rookie receiver is putting himself in the conversation for Offensive Rookie of The Year, at least based on the early flashes that have surfaced from camp.
McAfee weighed in on his show yesterday and came away impressed. “This Ohio State wide receiver factory they got cooking might have found the next Terry McLaurin here,” he said after praising Tate’s work in practice.
He wasn’t done there. “Not as hyped as everybody else,” McAfee added, “but still unbelievable. That could be Carnell Tate's trajectory, quickly.”
The comparison carries some weight because McAfee isn’t speaking only as a TV personality. He played the game himself, and the praise for Tate comes across as more than casual hype.
Tate and McLaurin share the same college background at Ohio State, though Tate is a little longer. McAfee’s point wasn’t that Tate is a finished product, but that the path he could be on looks a lot like the one McLaurin has taken.
And that’s no small compliment. McLaurin has made a career out of consistency, with two Pro Bowl nods and a stack of 1,000-yard seasons. From 2020 through 2024, he hit that benchmark five straight times, building the kind of résumé any receiver would be happy to chase.
That’s the standard Tate is being measured against, and for the Titans, it’s a promising one. If he lands anywhere near that level, Tennessee has something real on its hands.
The pressure is baked in when you come into the league as a fourth overall pick. Rookie receivers don’t just get asked to contribute; struggling teams often want them to carry the whole thing. That’s part of the deal, whether it’s fair or not.
Still, Tate doesn’t have to do it by himself. Brian Daboll’s offense looks set up to give him room to grow while Cam Ward leans on other targets like Wan'Dale Robinson, Gunnar Helm, and others from under center.
Ohio State keeps churning out receivers, and Tate looks like the latest one with a chance to stick. If McAfee’s read is right, Titans fans have plenty of reason to be excited about where this is headed.
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