2026 NFL Draft: Contract details revealed for Titans first-round pick Carnell Tate

Being the No. 4 overall pick in the NFL Draft brings more than the beginning of a career in professional football. A nice payday is heading to new Tennessee Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate. He did not have to wait long to hear his name called by commissioner Roger Goodell and will soon enough sign a contract.

Tate will be making $48.7 million over the course of his rookie deal. The average annual value sits at just over $12 million. However, the best part of the contract might be the signing bonus — $31.9 million.

Seeing this kind of money is nothing new for Ohio State wide receivers. Seemingly every single year, a Buckeye developed by Brian Hartline is going high in the draft. Tate may not have even been considered the No. 1 guy during his time in Columbus. Still, he turned into a top-five selection.

On the field, Tate finished his final college season having caught 51 passes for 875 yards and nine receiving touchdowns. In his career, he caught 121 passes for 1,872 yards and 14 touchdowns. His 17.2 yards per catch in 2025 earned him the reputation as an explosive playmaker downfield, and many expect that to continue after the NFL Draft. 

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Carnell Tate

Now that Carnell Tate has been drafted, his new fanbase may want to know what to expect out of their newest wide receiver. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein provided in-depth analysis on the former Buckeyes standout.

“Ascending “Z” receiver who continues to step out from the shadow of Ohio State teammate Jeremiah Smith. Tate has good size but would benefit from more play strength. 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. Tate tracks throws at top speed and makes his adjustments to run under them. He combines timing, body control and catch radius to dominate air space and consistently lands on the winning side of contested catches.

“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.”

On3’s Barkley Truax contributed to this report