Tyler Shough on Carnell Tate: “You Can’t Go Wrong With an Ohio State Receiver”
There’s no denying it - the New Orleans Saints have a type. And that type wears scarlet and gray on Saturdays.
With the 2026 NFL Draft creeping closer, Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate is already making waves - not just for his on-field talent, but for his openness about where he’d like to land. In a recent appearance on the Up & Adams Show, Saints quarterback Tyler Shough didn’t shy away from the buzz surrounding Tate’s interest in catching passes from him in New Orleans.
“I’m sure they’re aware,” Shough said when asked if the Saints’ front office had seen Tate’s comments. “They’re doing their due diligence with all those guys.
It’ll be interesting. I know there’s a lot of great prospects… but yeah, I think we can definitely add a playmaker like him for sure.”
Shough didn’t stop there. He pointed to Tate’s production at Ohio State and the Saints’ own track record with Buckeye receivers as a reason to be optimistic.
“I mean, what he’s been able to do at Ohio State… we’ve already got a really good Ohio State receiver on the roster,” Shough said, referencing star wideout Chris Olave. “You can’t go wrong there.”
He’s not wrong - the Saints’ history with Ohio State wideouts is impressive. Before Olave became a go-to target in New Orleans, the team found major success with Michael Thomas, another Buckeye standout who rewrote the Saints’ record books before injuries slowed him down. That kind of pipeline doesn’t go unnoticed in NFL circles, and it certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed in New Orleans.
Tate, for his part, has been vocal about his preferences. He named just two quarterbacks he’d love to play with: Buffalo’s Josh Allen and New Orleans’ Tyler Shough.
That’s no small compliment for Shough, who’s still establishing himself as the long-term answer under center in the Big Easy. It also speaks volumes about the way young receivers view the Saints’ offensive potential - especially with Shough at the helm.
Of course, there’s a big question looming: will Tate even be on the board when the Saints are on the clock at pick No. 8?
The 2026 draft class is stacked at wide receiver, and several teams ahead of New Orleans could be eyeing pass-catching help. If Tate’s name is called before the Saints get their shot, the conversation becomes moot. But if he’s still sitting there when New Orleans is up, things could get interesting.
Still, as much as the mutual admiration between Shough and Tate fuels speculation, it doesn’t guarantee anything. The Saints’ front office, led by GM Mickey Loomis, has shown time and again that it won’t hesitate to go in a different direction if another player grades out higher on their board.
But what’s clear is this: Tyler Shough sees the potential. He sees a playmaker who fits the mold of what’s worked before in New Orleans. And if Carnell Tate ends up in black and gold, it wouldn’t just be a continuation of a trend - it might be the next chapter in a story the Saints know how to tell very well.