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Carnell Tate #17 of the Ohio State Buckeyes is a top target of the Cleveland Browns in the NFL draft.

It all goes out the window, of course, if the Cleveland Browns follow through on the much-rumored NFL draft trade that could send the No. 6 overall pick to the Dallas Cowboys in some package that winds up with Andrew Berry picking at No. 12 and 20. But if the Browns decide against that deal and stick at the sixth pick, there seems to be only one truly obvious choice to make: Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate.

Sure, there has been ample debate about whether the Browns should continue their focus on the offensive line, because even with three new starters being brought in via free agency, this group is going to need depth and youth going forward. But it can be argued that none of the available linemen are worthy of a Top 6 pick, while Tate appears a pretty good bet at that point.

Scouts and GMs widely consider Tate to be the best player on the board at wide receiver. He had 51 catches in 13 games last year, totaling nine touchdowns and 875 yards. He is polished and NFL-ready, standing 6-feet-2 and ran a 4.53 40-yard dash–not exactly a speed merchant, but his production shows he has quite enough speed. There’s no doubt that the Browns are interested–Tate’s first Top 30 visit was with Cleveland.

Carnell Tate Meeting With 5 Teams Before NFL Draft

On ESPN’s “The Rich Eisen Show” on Wednesday, Tate appeared as a guest in the first hour, and said that after meeting with the Browns, he also met or will meet with the Chiefs, Ravens, Saints and Commanders. But he is well aware that the Browns keeping an OSU guy in-state would go over well with the locals.

He described his meeting with the Browns: “I am very familiar with that. Cleveland is right up the street from us, an hour and a half, two-hour drive from the facility. I was very comfortable. At this point in the process, it’s all about football, touring the facility, talking to the coaches, them getting a feel for your personality and you getting a feel for them. And in general, it’s also just talking football, them seeing how smart you are, your IQ as a football player.”

Browns Would Get ‘Complete Player’ With Carnell Tate

And while Tate was born and raised in Chicago, he has become enough of an Ohio guy to know that if he lands with the Ravens, who are picking all the way down at No. 14, it will be a double whammy for Browns backers. “I know that rivalry runs deep, individual rivals. I am very aware of that as well,” Tate said.

Asked to describe what the Browns might get if they do pick him, Tate offered a pretty good menu for a potential WR1.

“A team will get a complete player,” he said. “I can stretch the field, I can make the contested catch, and I also am a willing blocker. I can run the routes and get open. I think you get it all.”

Browns Badly in Need of WR Help

Unquestionably, the Browns need a player like Tate. Their wide receivers in 2025 were a massive disappointment, with Jerry Jeudy struggling because of drops and seeing his production plummet from 1,229 yards on 90 catches in 2024 to just 602 yards on 50 catches last season. Cedric Tillman was the No. 2 receiver by catches made, at 21.

And Tate is NFL-ready.

NFL.com’s scouting report on Tate went: “He builds momentum quickly on intermediate and deep routes, utilizing speed and tempo to pressure cornerbacks. He can win over the top on verticals or separate over the first two levels with route savvy and separation burst. … Pass catching comes effortlessly with soft, strong hands and he consistently works back on throws to keep ballhawks from hawking. Tate displays rare polish for a player his age and has the talent to become a heralded pro within his first three seasons.”