Why the Titans drafting Carnell Tate was the wrong move

Tate’s never been the No. 1 guy

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Tate has the tape of a No. 1 receiver. He’s very savvy in his route-running, with an ability to sell the vertical at any time. He also has great ball skills and good run-blocking abilities.

However, he’s always been a second receiving option behind someone. In 2024, he shared targets with 2025 first-round pick Emeka Egbuka and insanely talented freshman Jeremiah Smith. In 2025, it was with Smith again.

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When you have those kinds of talents in the receiving room, you’re going to get matched with the second-best corners in man coverage. Naturally, Tate might not have gotten matched up with the best corner on a team consistently.

How is he going to handle the pressure of being the No. 1 option in Tennessee? The Titans have Wan’Dale Robinson, Elic Ayomanor, and Calvin Ridley in their receiving room, and none of them should get as much heat as Tate.

Tyson or Lemon could’ve been better

If the Titans wanted to go receiver, there were also other recievers arguably more talented than Tate on the board. There were two receivers that some scouts viewed as better than Tate.

Arizona State receiver Jordyn Tyson would’ve been a great get. Despite concerns of injury, he was the No. 1 receiver for the Sun Devils. In 2024, he totaled 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns, and even in an injury-riddled 2025, he still caught 61 receptions for 711 yards and eight touchdowns.

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USC’s Makai Lemon has also been viewed as a better option. Lemon seemed to ruffle a few feathers with his interview at the NFL Combine, but he might have better catch-ability than Tate. He caught 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns, securing the Biletnikoff award for the best receiver in college football.

Tate’s selection will be heavily scrutinized for the coming years. At the very least, he provides a safe option for Cam Ward to throw the ball to, but with the Joneses drafted after him, it’s hard to not play the game of what if.