If the Steelers are set on drafting a wide receiver in the first round, there’s only one worth considering trading up for. According to draft analyst Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic, Pittsburgh should stay put unless it’s for Carnell Tate. The top wide receiver on his board, he has the best shot at being a true No. 1, he says.
“I’m not sure we can call any of them sure-fire NFL No. 1s just yet”, he told Mike DeFabo in conversation about the Steelers’ draft interest in wide receivers. “I wouldn’t rule it out with Tate or [Jordyn] Tyson. Tate’s speed is limited, but I really don’t care. I love his size/burst/route nuance combination and the fact that he improved a ton last season”.
Although he didn’t time well, Carnell Tate offers intriguing measurables that fit what the Steelers want in a wide receiver. He has an NFL-ready skill set in terms of athleticism and craft, though he is not without some shortcomings. His lack of dominant production is also a concern, but he may have the highest potential in this class.
The Steelers have traded for a starting wide receiver in each of the past two seasons. In 2024, they gave up a second-round pick for DK Metcalf, who offered average production. With the Colts looking to unload Michael Pittman Jr., Pittsburgh flipped late-round picks to acquire him. Beyond that, however, the Steelers are primed to draft a wide receiver as early as the first round. Should it be Carnell Tate—even if it means trading up—compared to the alternatives?
“It’s a notable gap. I wouldn’t call it huge, but this isn’t the deepest WR class we’ve ever seen. It’s not bad either”, Baumgardner said of this year’s wide receiver class. “If there’s a WR you move up for in this draft, for me, it’s Tate. So, depending on what the board looks like for him on draft night, I’d definitely consider it. I believe he’s at least capable of becoming a lead guy. Otherwise, I’d just play the board out”.
The Steelers have not had a pre-draft visit with Carnell Tate, but they met with the wide receiver at the Combine. There’s still time for them to bring him in, but each first-round pick under GM Omar Khan has had a pre-draft visit so far. But we’re talking about a small sample size, so that could mean nothing.
If the Steelers were to draft Tate, whether by trade up or not, it would reunite the wide receiver with his college quarterback. For one season, he played with Will Howard at Ohio State, with whom he won a national title. But his best season was clearly last year, in which he put up 875 yards and 9 touchdowns in 11 games.
Tate could come in and contribute right away at wide receiver in the Steelers’ new West Coast offense, but will he even be available for them to draft? While they have extra draft picks this year, do they want to use one to trade up for him? Their recent trade ups—for Devin Bush and Broderick Jones—have not exactly panned out.
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