After suffering a knee injury that cut his season short, Travis Hunter is slated to play cornerback full-time next season. This was a bit of a surprise when you take into account that he spent more time on offense last year. Granted, he'll continue to line up at receiver but only on a part-time basis.
This is due to the fact that the Jacksonville Jaguars are stacked at receiver and need the former Heisman trophy winner in the boundaries opposite Montaric Brown. Heck, having him line up at corner will come in handy when they play the Tennessee Titans, as they just got Cam Ward a new weapon.
With the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Tennessee selected Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate. The former Buckeye will join a receiver corps that already includes Calvin Ridley and Wa'Danle Robinson. With an improved group of weapons, Jacksonville cannot afford to take Ward lightly.
The Titans drafted Carnell Tate to neutralize the Jaguars and Travis Hunter
Cam Ward flashed as a rookie but didn't have a good supporting cast. The Titans are trying to rectify that, and Carnell Tate should most definitely help.
Tate has great ball skills and already runs a wide route tree. Titans analyst Justin Melo believes the former Buckeye gives Cam Ward the No. 1 receiver he desperately needed, pointing out that he'll round out a unit that already includes Wan'Dale Robinson and Calvin Ridley. Here's the skinny.
Tennessee Titans franchise quarterback Cam Ward deserves to have a true No. 1 receiver at his disposal," Melo wrote on Fansided's top-50 big board. "Could that make Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate a target for Mike Borgonzi with the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft? The Titans signed Wan'Dale Robinson and kept Calvin Ridley this offseason, but they lack the physical tools Tate could bring to the table. Ward could benefit from growing alongside a receiver of his caliber."
It's also worth noting that Tennessee chose to restructure Calvin Ridley's contract instead of outright releasing him. Back in 2024, it looked like he was going to re-sign with the Jags, but he ended up bolting for the division foe after signing a four-year deal worth $92 million with $50 million guaranteed.
Although Ridley hasn't precisely lived up to expectations, the Titans valued him enough to at least keep him around for another season. With him in the mix, teams won't be able to zero in on Tate.
With Montaric Brown and Travis Hunter, the Jaguars can neutralize Titans WR Carnell Tate
There's no doubt that Carnell Tate can give the Titans offense a boost. Heck, he could become Cam Ward's most trusted target from the get-go. That said, the Jaguars have the firepower to counter him and slow Tennessee down.
Keep in mind that Tennessee is coming off an underwhelming season, and the newly hired Robert Saleh may need a couple seasons to steer the ship in the right direction. This doesn't mean that Jacksonville should take the Titans lightly, but rather that they're still the better team on paper. With Travis Hunter and Montaric Brown in the boundaries, and Jarrian Jones and Jourdan Lewis in the slot, they have enough talent to neutralize Ward and Tate.
The truth is that the Titans are off to an encouraging start to the draft, but they'll need to keep hoarding on talent if they want to become a real threat to the Jaguars next season.
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