The Cleveland Browns need help at wide receiver, and a fan favorite just happens to be in their range. Ohio State star Carnell Tate will most likely be available when Cleveland is on the clock at pick No. 6 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.
There has been plenty of back-and-forth about Tate. While he's the clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver in this class, some argue that he's not as much of a difference-maker as other wide receivers taken in the top 10.
Even if that's the case, not taking him at No. 6 would probably be overthinking the pick. The Browns haven't drafted a wide receiver inside the top 10 since they made Braylon Edwards the third overall pick in 2005, and it's time to leave that streak in the past.
Carnell Tate feels like the easiest Browns draft decision in years
Edwards didn't exactly live up to his draft capital. He spent five years in Cleveland, earning one Pro Bowl selection and leaving with 238 receptions on 500 targets for 3,697 yards and 28 touchdowns. Not bad, but not memorable, either.
From that moment, the Browns have picked inside the top 10 nine times; it would've been more if it weren't for the Deshaun Watson trade. They've taken some great players like Joe Thomas and Myles Garrett, but they've also let some star wide receivers slip, like Demaryius Thomas, Antonio Brown, T.Y. Hilton, D.J. Moore, and Emmanuel Sanders. More recently, they've passed on Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, and Brandon Aiyuk.
Of course, it's easy to look back and criticize whenever a team makes a bad call. Sometimes, bad decisions are evident from the very second they are made, and not taking Carnell Tate at No. 6 might be a perfect example of that.
He may not have the same generational tag as teammate Jeremiah Smith, but there should be no shame in that. He's still got the makings of a potential superstar, and he'd immediately be WR1 in Cleveland as a rookie.
According to Pro Football Focus, Tate leads the class in contested catch rate (85.7 percent, 12 receptions on 14 targets). He didn't drop a single pass, and he's the type of player who doesn't need elite speed to get open because of his crisp route running, quick hips, and natural ability to create separation. Even when he doesn't, he still beats his coverage in most 50/50 situations.
Tate is the type of wide receiver who makes the game look easy and his quarterback look good. The Browns haven't developed a star wide receiver since Josh Gordon, whose prime was short-lived due to bad luck and poor decisions.
It's time to rewrite history, and taking Tate is the first step.