(Editor's Note: While the start of the 2026 NFL Draft isn't until late April, it's never too early to profile some of the key participants. The staff of DallasCowboys.com intends to preview the landscape of the draft's top prospects, with an emphasis on possible Cowboys draft picks 鈥� from the first round to the last. Today's featured player is Ohio State WR Carnell Tate.)
- Name: Carnell Tate
- Position: Wide receiver
- College: Ohio State
- Height/Weight: 6'2", 192
- Did You Know? In the last ten years, seven Ohio State wide receivers have been drafted in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft. If Tate is taken in the first round like most expect, it will mark the fifth straight draft with a Buckeye wide receiver being take in the first-round, and the sixth first-round wide receiver from Columbus in that time span including Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka.
Where He's Projected:
Tate is considered by many to be the best wide receiver in the class, and there will be many teams in need of a wide receiver this year. The question will be whether or not teams value the class' defensive prospects higher that the wide receiver position, which could see a Tate slip. That said, it's still unlikely, and a scenario where the Cowboys drafted Tate would likely be if the other 11 teams ahead went almost all on the defensive side of the football with their selections.
How He Helps the Cowboys:
The Cowboys' offense took a huge step forward last year with the addition of George Pickens alongside CeeDee Lamb. Ryan Flournoy's emergence at the WR3 spot certainly helped too. If the Cowboys were to add another receiving threat on the outside, the offense only has a chance to improve more. Pickens' athleticism and body control is perfect for the outside, Lamb has shown bright flashes when playing out of the slot, and Tate's route running ability and size fit great on the outside. What Brian Schottenheimer has shown as a player caller is that he likes to move his receivers around into different spots, and adding Tate would still allow Dallas to do that. The biggest benefactor of the selection of Tate would probably be quarterback Dak Prescott, who would be even more loaded with talented receiving options to move the ball downfield in the passing game.
Final Thoughts:
The idea of Lamb, Pickens and Tate all on the field together is certainly one that would give Dallas' offense a bright future. The broader question however, is whether or not it's sustainable. If Pickens plays on the franchise tag in 2026, he'll be able to be franchise tagged again in 2027, but eventually will be owed long-term extension money should the Cowboys want to keep him around. Would drafting Tate mean Dallas would trade Pickens? It certainly could. The risk the Cowboys would run with that is trusting a rookie wide receiver to step in and contribute as the second option in the offense, which is no easy task. As things currently stand, all signs are seemingly pointing towards Pickens remaining in Dallas and playing under the franchise tag in 2026. That means the Cowboys more than likely aren't looking at wide receiver at 12 in the draft, the only chance where Tate could even have a chance of being available, but have shown in the past and have said this offseason they will take the best player available on the board even if it's an offensive player. The scenario Dallas' brass often points to is when they drafted CeeDee Lamb 17th overall in 2020, and this scenario would likley only occur if Tate were to undergo a similar slip.
