The Tennessee Titans surprised many when they snagged Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate with the No. 4 overall pick, eschewing a defensive stud or another wideout.
Titans assistant general manager Dave Ziegler said Tuesday that the club was unequivocal in its belief that Tate was the best fit for where Tennessee was headed.
"At the end of the day with Carnell, we just had a very good, consensus vision on what he is going to do, where he is going to play, how he is going to fit in and what he is going to bring to this team," Ziegler said, . "We feel we are really getting a complete three-down player. … He was a clear guy for us to take and we are really excited about it."
Getting Cam Ward aid was the priority for Tennessee. Tate fits the bill, providing a potential go-to target. The question is whether the Ohio State product can be a true No. 1. He doesn't have massive size or game-breaking speed and wasn't the top receiver on his college team. However, he runs pro-level routes, with intelligence and enough physicality to win versus man or zone, and owns massive, vice-grip hands.
Pre-draft, he was often compared to Davante Adams, Tee Higgins, or former OSU product Chris Olave. That is pretty, pretty, pretty good company. If Tate comes close to those stars, the Titans will have a massive win.
With the addition of Tate and free-agent Wan'Dale Robinson, the queries in Tennessee should now turn to what it means for Calvin Ridley's future.
