The Titans surprised many by taking Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate with the No. 4 overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, a move that significantly shook up the top 10.
Tennessee was widely expected to draft a top defender or Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with their first pick. When the Cardinals took Love at No. 3, it seemed that new Titans head coach Robert Saleh was free to handpick a new star for his defense. Instead, the team went with Tate.
Their decision was multi-faceted. First was a different assessment of Tate’s athleticism than the public consensus. The Titans timed Tate’s 40-yard dash at the Combine “in the mid-4.4s” as opposed to his official time of 4.53 seconds, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. In their eyes, that rounded out the profile of an otherwise complete wide receiver with a full route tree and excellent skills at the catch point.
Getting help for former No. 1 pick Cam Ward was also a priority, one that encouraged Tennessee to go with an offensive playmaker rather than a defensive one. Tate largely played second fiddle to Jeremiah Smith at Ohio State in 2025, which many evaluators saw as a negative – he could not even be the top target on his own team. The Titans, though, had a different takeaway: Tate would have a place in whatever offense they build over the next several years, whether it be as a WR1 or a versatile part of a deeper group.
Had Tate not been available, Breer adds, the Titans would have gone with his teammate, linebacker Arvell Reese. The team badly needs to strengthen their pass rush, especially at defensive end even after reuniting Saleh with Jets 2022 first-rounder Jermaine Johnson. Reese was projected to convert into an edge rusher in the pros, but he might been a better fit as a 3-4 outside linebacker than a defensive end in Saleh’s 4-3 scheme.
Tennessee also drafted Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. in the second round and could deploy him in the role they envisioned for Reese. Hill has a slightly smaller frame and lacks the same bend and agility as Reese, but he could still be used creatively by Saleh.
The Titans’ decision highlights a false trend in the NFL: teams who hire a new head coach prioritize their side of the ball with their first draft picks. Despite the symbolism of such a move – letting a new leader select a prospect that fits his scheme, style, and culture – the process rarely plays out that way. General managers are still focused on value and following their draft board while incorporating coaches’ feedback.
This year, only four of the 10 teams with new head coaches used their first pick on the coach’s side of the ball. The Raiders drafted Fernando Mendoza for Klint Kubiak – though that likely would have been the case no matter who they hired – the Cardinals drafted Love for LaFleur, the Browns got both Spencer Fano and KC Concepcion for Todd Monken, and the Steelers got Max Iheanachor (instead of Makai Lemon) for Mike McCarthy.
But, just as the Jets went with quarterback Zach Wilson in 2021, Saleh’s first year in New York, the Titans went with a wide receiver who was the top-ranked player on their board. That is not to say Saleh was not on board for those picks, or that head coaches in general prioritize their side of the ball. Another new defensive head coach, Jesse Minter, urged general manager Eric DeCosta to select guard Vega Ioane over edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., and the Jeff Hafley-led Dolphins took offensive lineman Kayden Proctor. In fact, there is an argument that the head coach’s expertise on one side of the ball means there should be more talent investment in the other.
At the end of the day, the Titans nabbed their desired prospect for their first pick in Tate, and Saleh still got a defensive lineman when the team traded back into the first round to select Auburn’s Keldric Faulk.
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