Tennessee Titans Are Proving Malik Nabers Wrong on Carnell Tate

The Tennessee Titans selected Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. 

Initially, the pick was scrutinized with Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles still on the board. The Titans could've used Styles and Reese, who needed help at Mike linebacker and on the defensive line. 

The decision went back to what General Manager Mike Borgonzi said at the NFL Owners' Meetings. Borgonzi said the Titans planned to take the best player available. 

In that moment, Tennessee believed that Tate was the best player on the board. At first, there was speculation that this was referring to Jeremiyah Love. 

Then the Arizona Cardinals selected Love with No. 3 overall, and the Titans went with Tate instead. 

One staunch critic of the Tate pick was New York Giants receiver Malik Nabers. Nabers debated the topic with Micah Parsons. 

Nabers' main argument was that Tate couldn't be a WR1 in the NFL because he wasn't one at Ohio State. Tate was the WR2 for the Buckeyes behind Jeremiah Smith, who could be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. 

I think it's time to see how Tate and Nabers are doing so far ahead of Week 5. 

Tate got off to a slow start. He led the team with 38 receiving yards in the 23-10 loss to the New York Jets. 

He saw less action against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2. Tate had three receptions for 27 yards. 

Then, we finally started to see flashes of a breakout game in Week 3. Tate had 58 receiving yards, but he got open much more often. The problem was that the Titans' offense struggled and didn't get him the ball often enough. 

Sunday was when it all came together. Tate led the team with nine receptions for 145 receiving yards. 

He was the first Titans player to have a 100-yard game since Calvin Ridley did last year against the Arizona Cardinals. 

It felt like every time the Titans had a big passing play, Tate was at the forefront. 

Nabers had a good start to the year, with 69 receiving yards in the season opener. His numbers took a hit in Week 2 after losing Jaxson Dart to a knee injury. He caught one pass for one yard before leaving with a shoulder injury.

He returned from injury against the Titans but managed only five receptions for 26 yards in the rain. He bounced back in Week 4, leading the team with 112 receiving yards. 

Still, there's one person that Nabers doesn't have more receiving yards than. That person is none other than Tate. 

Tate has 268 receiving yards and is 15th in the NFL. Nabers currently ranks 39th in the NFL with 208 receiving yards. 

It's safe to say that Tate and the Titans are proving Nabers wrong so far. Tate has absolutely looked like a No. 1 WR, despite what Nabers thinks. 

The crazy thing is, I think that is just the tip of the iceberg for Tate and the Titans. We've seen Cam Ward grow throughout the season, and he is already establishing a solid connection with Tate. 

After Sunday, more targets are definitely going to come his way. 

This is just the beginning.