The Tennessee Titans surprised many people during the 2026 NFL Draft.
For weeks leading up to the draft, it was assumed that the Titans would take running back Jeremiyah Love. However, right before the draft, almost every mock switched to predicting linebacker Sonny Styles as the pick.
Instead, the Titans did neither, and ended up taking wide receiver Carnell Tate at No. 4. Tate was considered by many to be the best receiver in the class, but not many expected him to go in the top four picks. The Titans desperately need weapons for Cam Ward, though, so the pick does make sense.
Eva Geitheim of Sports Illustrated recently predicted rookie stat lines for each 2026 first-round pick. For Tate, Geitheim is expecting an elite season and one of the best receiving seasons in Titans’ history.
Geitheim predicts the following stat line for Tate:
Rookie stats prediction: 69 catches, 1,028 yards, six touchdowns
This is a notable prediction for a couple of reasons. First, it’s not all that common for rookies to accumulate 1,000 yards. That would put Tate firmly in the conversation as a No. 1 receiver going forward.
Additionally, this yards total would immediately cement Tate in the franchise record books. A.J. Brown is the only Titans receiver to ever have more than 1,000 receiving yards during his rookie season.
Granted, the Titans haven’t exactly had the best receivers in league history. The franchise has struggled to find reliable wideouts, especially through the draft. Still, that wouldn’t make it any less impressive if Tate did reach the 1,000-yard mark and cement himself as the team’s No. 1 receiver.
In 2025, no wide receiver on the Titans had more than 41 catches or 515 yards. That’s an abysmal level of production from a receiver group, and it’s clear the team made it a priority to improve the room this offseason.
Cam Ward should have much more help in 2026
Tate isn’t the only receiver the Titans brought in this offseason. The team also signed Wan’Dale Robinson in free agency, and veteran Calvin Ridley is expected to be healthy again and contribute as well.
Tate, Robinson, and Ridley is a much better group than what Ward had to deal with last year. The team also still has Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor behind that trio, so things are looking up in Nashville.
If Tate comes close to the stat line that Geitheim predicts, the Titans should be set at the receiver position for the first time since trading away A.J. Brown.