Carnell Tate #17 of the Ohio State Buckeyes could go at No. 6 to the Cleveland Browns in the NFL draft.
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Carnell Tate #17 of the Ohio State Buckeyes could go at No. 6 to the Cleveland Browns in the NFL draft.
There’s no doubt, the Cleveland Browns will need to have a major win–more than one, actually–at the NFL draft in two weeks if the team is to begin turning around what was the worst offense in the league for back-to-back seasons. There is talk about the Browns trading down out of the No. 6 pick, which might make some sense in terms of its needs and the players available, but maybe the way to go is to simply play it safe: Draft for the biggest need, wide receiver, and take the best player at that position, Carnell Tate.
Scouts and GMs widely consider Tate to be the best player on the board at wide receiver, He had 51 catches in 13 games last year, totaling nine touchdowns and 875 yards. He is polished and NFL-ready, standing 6-feet-2 and ran a 4.53 40-yard dash.
And though the Browns do not typically draft this way, at the very least, it does not hurt that he is a local hero, part of Ohio State’s national championship run in the 2024 college season.
Rich Eisen: Browns Taking Carnell Tate ‘Would Get People Excited’
That was part of the advice from veteran NFL reporter and host Rich Eisen on his ESPN show this week. The Browns could win in three ways by drafting Tate–they’d get a good player for one thing, they’d fill a major hole on the roster for another. And finally, they’d add a Buckeye, throwing a bit of consolation to a fan base unhappy about the fact that the team has eight wins in the past two years.
Said Eisen: “I know you don’t draft for the fans. But if you can draft for the fans, check a major box, and fix a massive need, that’s the triple play, right? If the Cleveland Browns take Carnell Tate and take all those Buckeye nuts, you know, tell all of them in your fan base, ‘We have Carnell Tate now.’ And the new coach, Todd Monken, comes from an offensive mindset, you know?
“Because they did draft (Harold) Fannin, right, and they got Quinshon Judkins. They got some really good young players on offense over the last couple of years. … You add Carnell Tate to this mix, and you’re telling the Browns fans, we know you, and you know this guy, come on out and watch Cleveland Browns football. Don’t you think that would get people excited?”
Star Receiver Badly Needed
Now, it’s not likely that the Browns would pick a player just because he went to Ohio State, but certainly, it can’t hurt. And most analysts have Tate as the No. 1 wide receiver in this draft, a player who not only should be a starter in Week 1 but has a chance at stardom.
As Dane Brugler of The Athletic said of Tate: “A day-one NFL starter and potential Pro Bowler.”
NFL.com’s scouting report on Tate went: “He builds momentum quickly on intermediate and deep routes, utilizing speed and tempo to pressure cornerbacks. He can win over the top on verticals or separate over the first two levels with route savvy and separation burst. … Pass catching comes effortlessly with soft, strong hands and he consistently works back on throws to keep ballhawks from hawking. Tate displays rare polish for a player his age and has the talent to become a heralded pro within his first three seasons.”