Armed with a $51 million contract and elite processing speed, the Ohio State standout is already outshining veterans while mastering Brian Daboll’s complex offensive system in Tennessee.
The Tennessee Titans used a high draft pick on Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate.
From the front office to head coach Robert Saleh, the Titans have made it known that they are very content with their decision.
While it feels like Tate is producing ridiculous highlight catches from practice on a daily basis, there are expectations for a player who is taken that high in the first round.
The Titans are definitely making sure to pay him in line with those expectations. His rookie contract is for four years at $51.1 million, per Spotrac. That signals that the franchise believes he can be a WR1 in this league if anything.
Tate is anticipated to be the top target for Cam Ward, with Calvin Ridley and Wan'Dale Robinson starting alongside him. That speaks to the potential that a player like Tate has.
He's going to be WR1 with two veterans starting at receiver.
We can talk about what's expected of Tate in his first season all day, but one thing that has caught me by surprise is how fast he's picking up the offense.
Tate would have to learn a new system regardless of who was in charge since he's going to be a rookie, but according to offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, he's one of the fastest learners the coach has ever worked with.
I don't think anyone could've predicted that Tate would be on top of things this early with Daboll's system.
Daboll has been coaching in the NFL for a long time, working with stars like Josh Allen. Daboll said that Tate is one of the best at learning the offense among all the skill positions he's worked with.
"Young player, still learning, but he's smart," Daboll said. "He's got good ball skills. Everything we saw on tape at Ohio State, he's come, he's acclimated himself well, as all the rookies have. But again, he's doing what's required right now, and he's doing a nice job. Really like the kid, his personality, his demeanor. For a young player, we've thrown a lot at these guys, and he's picked it up extremely well. I've done this for a long time. He's, in terms of picking it up, he's been one of the top of the skill positions."
This is a great thing for the Titans.
To have one of your veteran players on top of learning the offense is great. Having a rookie that can pick up the offense this fast? Even better.
Head coach Robert Saleh and General Manager Mike Borgonzi are aiming for a quick turnaround. It's clear that Tate is going to have a big role with the offense in his first season, and he's already making great strides before taking his first NFL snap.
The front office knew exactly what they were doing when they drafted a player like Tate in the first round. It's why they decided to go with offense with Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese still on the board.
As Daboll said, they haven't made it easy to learn his offense. They have thrown a lot at them in a short amount of time. I mean, these rookies were drafted just a few months ago, back in April, and are now finishing up mandatory minicamp.
However, Tate is proving once again that the Titans made the right decision by taking him No. 4 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.
