The Cleveland Browns may want to steer clear of this one particular wide receiver.
The Cleveland Browns absolutely need to add some wide receiver help this offseason, as their current setup at the position is one of the NFL's worst.
The Browns own the sixth overall pick in the NFL Draft this April, and many have linked them to Ohio State Buckeyes standout Carnell Tate at that spot.
Tate has long been viewed as the best wide receiver prospect in this year's draft class, but Cleveland may want to reconsider taking him after the latest development.
The 21-year-old ran a 4.54-second 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine on Saturday, a rather underwhelming time for someone who was supposed to be the top weapon available.
Does it necessarily mean that Tate will fail on the professional level? No. There have certainly been receivers that ran 4.5s and still found success in the NFL. But there's no question that Tate's showing raises red flags.
Tate spent three years at Ohio State, breaking out with 52 catches for 733 yards and four touchdowns in 2024. Then, this past season, he hauled in 51 receptions for 875 yards and nine scores.
Carnell Tate. Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images.The 6-foot-2 playmaker operated as the Buckeyes' No. 2 receiver behind Jeremiah Smith in 2025, and the year prior, he was the team's tertiary option behind Smith and Emeka Egbuka. For that reason, his numbers are a bit muted.
But Tate's lack of top-end speed is certainly concerning for a potential top-10 pick.
There are plenty of other wide receivers for the Browns to choose from in this year's draft, Denzel Boston, Jordyn Tyson and Makai Lemon, to name a few.
It's important to remember that Cleveland has a pair of first-round picks, so the Browns can also circle back around to take a receiver (like Boston) at No. 24.
Cleveland can also try to sign a wide out in free agency, but the Browns don't have a ton of cap room, and it will be difficult to convince some of the top receivers to sign in Cleveland, especially given the team's uncertainty at quarterback.
The Browns could explore trades, but again, their financial situation could make that difficult (although Cleveland does have some ways of freeing up some money).
Whatever the case may be, the Browns may have some second thoughts about drafting Tate after what we just saw.
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