Should the Saints target Carnell Tate 8th overall?
The New Orleans Saints are scheduled for a top-30 visit with Ohio State star wideout Carnell Tate, per Nick Underhill.
This is the second time the Saints have met with Tate, hosting him and other Buckeye standouts at the 2026 NFL Combine.
Tate is a projected top-10 pick, and after a small slide in consensus boards, he's been a riser again, earning strong projections as early as sixth overall to the Cleveland Browns.
In 2025, Tate had the best season of his college career, bringing in 51 receptions for 875 yards and 9 touchdowns. The 6-foot-2 wide receiver has benefited from being opposite of Jeremiah Smith, and would make a great complement to Chris Olave, a former Buckeye himself.
Wide receiver is a big need for New Orleans. It's been a problem for multiple seasons, and was even more urgent after Olave had to sit out Week 18 and Devuaghn Vele suffered a season-ending injury against the Carolina Panthers in Week 15. Veteran Dante Pettis was the team's leading receiver in the season finale, catching 5 passes for 60 yards.
The Saints made a move early in 2025, trading for former New England Patriots second-round pick Ja'Lynn Polk. While Polk was a highly drafted player, his injury history and slow development make him more of a depth piece than an answer at receiver. Polk was the second receiver trade for New Orleans, coming shortly after the Saints made an aggressive move for Vele.
So where does Tate fit in the Saints' offense? Pretty smoothly, actually. During the 2025 season, Olave saw an increase in play time in the slot. While he's a primarily X" receiver, his increased role makes an opening for Tate. The projected top-10 pick could play at the Z," allowing for a field of Vele and Tate on the outside with Olave in the slot.
Putting Olave more in the slot may concern some, but the emergence of Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Emeke Egbuka shows stars could dominate in the slot. This makes perfect room for Olave, who is set for a big year, with contract negotiations ongoing. When Olave's taking over at the X," Tate fits perfectly opposite at the Z."
Despite an underwhelming 40-yard dash time at the combine, Tate is known for his combination of speed and body control. The Ohio State wideout is a strong route runner and utilizes his size perfectly. He tracks the ball at a high level and is late when revealing his hands. Along with his athletic traits, he's a smart player and displays great spatial awareness.
Tate would be a big investment for the Saints. They spent plenty on their offense in free agency, and it's hard to imagine there won't be a game-changing defender available. Tate is a great player, and the Ohio State track record is hard to pass up. When it comes down to Day 1, the Saints will be in a good position to add a good player to the roster, and Tate's development and traits make him a strong contender to wear the black and gold in September.