Carnell Tate's selection at No. 4 overall was surprising for even those with the highest grades on the Ohio State product.
For the Titans, it was all part of their plan to surround 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward with legitimate weapons. After completing some spring work with the first receiver selected in April's draft, Ward has high expectations for his new teammate.
"He'll have an explosive year just because he'll get a lot of one-on-one matchups," Ward said Thursday, via ESPN. "That's what we want. We want guys to come down and play, man, because we think we can beat him.
"I think this is one of the best offenses he could be in just because he's going to get coached, but he's not going to get overcoached, and he's going to still be able to play football how he sees it."
After he was fired by the Giants, Brian Daboll joined new head coach Robert Saleh's staff as the Titans' offensive coordinator, bringing with him an offense that once empowered Josh Allen to become the superstar quarterback and eventual NFL MVP. It's also an offense that intends to create opportunities for players like Tate by condensing formations in an effort to attract press man coverage, the style of defense Tennessee believes Tate can defeat consistently.
"In the NFL, you have to know how to win against press coverage," Tate said. "That's all it's about. You have to take that very personal.
"The team is going to rely on you to go out there and win that one-on-one matchup with the top corner on the other side of you."
Entering the NFL, Tate's greatest strength was his ability to make contested catches. No receiver in the 2026 class was better at it than the Ohio State star, whose highlight reel was filled with spectacular grabs made with defenders draped over him.
He'll need those skills -- plus effective route running to free himself off the line of scrimmage -- to thrive in Daboll's offense. As Tennessee sees it, Tate is the perfect fit for that vision.
"He's got great hands, wins in man coverage, and he's a strider," Ward said.
In Ward's rookie season, he rarely found open targets when faced with press coverage. He was also playing with a receiving corps that largely lacked experience and was carried by a pair of rookies (Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike), plus tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo, who has since departed for Washington.
Although it was a surprise in the moment, Tennessee's decision to select Tate at No. 4 is now easy to understand. The Titans believed they'd found the perfect running mate for Ward and made the pick confidently.
Now, it's up to Ward and Tate to prove them right.