The Tennessee Titans spent the buildup to the 2026 NFL Draft linked to defense, with linebackers, pass rushers and even Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love drawing attention. That made the buzz around Ohio State defenders Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles feel pretty natural, especially with a defensive-minded incoming head coach in the mix.
But when Roger Goodell stepped to the podium in Pittsburgh, the Titans’ first-round call went in a different direction. Tennessee took Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate at No. 4 overall, a pick that came after some loose speculation but not the kind of heavy smoke that had surrounded other names. A month before the draft, the Titans had already added free-agent receiver Wan’Dale Robinson and brought back veteran Calvin Ridley.
Tate’s final season in Columbus gave the Buckeyes another dangerous weapon next to Jeremiah Smith. He finished with 51 catches for 875 yards and 9 touchdowns.
Tennessee then moved back into the first round later and took Auburn edge rusher Keldric Faulk, a player who had spent time in preseason top-10 conversations but never fully hit that ceiling. By the time Faulk came off the board, four other pass rushers were gone, including Clemson’s T.J.
Parker at 35th, Oklahoma’s R Mason Thomas at 40th and Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell at 41st overall.
The bigger question is whether Tate was the right answer at No. 4.
There was already a clear organizational pattern in Tennessee: support the quarterback and find out what you really have. Ownership had pushed a similar idea with Will Levis, and it’s fair to think the same kind of directive may have been handed down with Cam Ward. That helps explain the Tate pick.
Still, if the goal was to build around Ward, the fit deserves a hard look. Tate has been a productive player, but the warts are real.
He has four drops and three fumbles, and his best work comes in space rather than in contested, downfield situations. He separates well in the short and intermediate game and has a nice feel for zone coverage, but he has not yet proven he can consistently win against man or threaten defenses vertically.
According to Next Gen Stats, he has one catch for 33 yards on eight targets 20-plus air yards downfield. He also ranks 42nd in EPA per target against man coverage among 53 receivers with at least 10 targets versus man, per NGS.
The presence of Robinson suggests Tennessee may have been hunting for a bigger body who can line up as the X or Z receiver. Jordyn Tyson wasn’t available until Week 9 this season, and there’s also a case to be made that Denzel Boston might be the better player, even if the production has come with some inconsistency and growing pains.
Tate’s ceiling has been part of the debate for a while, but that kind of conversation isn’t new for elite receiver prospects. Jaxon Smith-Njigba faced similar questions, and his rookie year came with 63 receptions for 628 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Tate is on pace for 77 receptions for 944 yards. The real question is whether he can keep climbing from high-end No. 2 status to true top-tier receiver territory.
Tennessee is coming out of a bye week, so the next thing to watch is whether his usage changes at all.
The draft history lesson is also worth keeping in mind: being the first receiver taken doesn’t guarantee being the best one. Last year, Travis Hunter Jr. was a special case because he played both ways, but Tetairoa McMillan has still been the better receiver.
In 2024, Malik Nabers outperformed Marvin Harrison Jr. Justin Jefferson famously went fifth among receivers in his class, behind Henry Ruggs and Jalen Reagor.
And in 2019, Hollywood Brown and N’Keal Harry were the only first-round wideouts in a class that also included A.J. Brown, D.K.
Metcalf, Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel.
Faulk’s early returns have been rougher. Tennessee traded up from No. 35 to get him, hoping to add more defensive talent after using No. 4 on offense. Saleh likely wanted that balance after the first pick, and the plan with Faulk is clear enough: draft the traits, then develop the player.
He’s young, with size and length that still make scouts dream on the upside. But the production has not matched the pedigree yet.
Faulk has had trouble getting off blocks, and his counter work still needs a lot of polish. Too often, he tries to win by going straight through blockers, which is a tough ask even in the NFL.
His 2.8% pressure rate ranks 26th among 27 rookies with at least 50 pass-rush snaps, according to TruMedia. The three edge rushers taken after him have all been better in that metric: Thomas is fifth, Howell seventh and Parker 12th.
The run defense has been shaky too. Faulk gets stuck in blockers’ bodies and has a hard time disengaging.
Through 89 running downs, he has 4 run tackles and 3 run stops. That puts his 4.5% run tackle rate and 3.4% run stop rate at 54th and 46th, respectively, among 56 rookies with at least 50 run downs, per Next Gen Stats.
Long term, Tate looks like a high-end No. 2 receiver with a chance to grow into a top-20 player at the position. The drops and fumbles stand out now, but his college track record suggests those issues may not stick. At Ohio State, he had 0 fumbles and 5 drops in 39 games.
Faulk, meanwhile, just turned 22, so Tennessee has time to be patient. But slow starts do not often turn into elite careers unless a young player already has one clear way to win while the rest of the game catches up.
In Other News...
Jeffery Simmons Opens Up About Titans Move That Still Stings
Jeffery Simmons did not hide how much the move still lingers after Tennessee sent him to Chicago on Oct. 29 for two first-round picks and a fourth-round pick. Speaking on The Rich Eisen Show, the former Titans star said he was surprised by the trade, but also made clear he understood the business side of it and respected the decision.
For Tennessee, the deal was as much about draft capital as it was about parting with one of the leagues most disruptive interior defenders. Simmons has wasted little time making an impact with the Bears, recording sacks in each of his first two games and leading all interior defensive linemen in sacks through Week 9, a reminder of exactly what the Titans gave up when they made the move. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Season Just Became A High-Stakes Draft Position Race
The Titans season has shifted into something bigger than wins and losses, with the trade deadline turning the rest of the year into a long look ahead. By moving defensive standouts Jeffery Simmons and Amani Hooker for multiple draft picks in 2027 and 2028, Tennessee made its intentions clear: the future matters more than salvaging a lost present, and the draft board is now part of every conversation around this team.
At 1-7, the Titans are already positioned for a premium selection in the 2027 NFL Draft, with the kind of draft capital that can reshape a roster if the front office plays it right. The intriguing part is where that pick could land and who might be available, including wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, even if receiver is not the clearest hole on the roster. For Tennessee, the real suspense is no longer about this seasons standings, but how high the draft race can carry them and what they do with the opportunity when it arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Passing Game Faces A Bigger Concern Around Cam Ward
Carnell Tates shoulder injury is becoming a real issue for Tennessee at a time when the passing game could use all the help it can get. The rookie receiver is set to miss his second straight game, leaving the Titans to piece together their offense without one of quarterback Cam Wards more important targets heading into a matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
For a young quarterback, losing a receiver with Tates role is more than a short-term inconvenience. It puts more pressure on the rest of the receiving group to create separation and keep the offense on schedule, while also shining a light on how much help Tennessee may still need at wide receiver going forward. The Titans can only manage the present for so long before the bigger roster question comes back into focus. [Read more 🡒]