The 2026 NFL Draft is just over a week away, putting fans and analysts alike into a frenzy. Everyone is trying to solidify their mock drafts, hoping they come up with the secret sauce that ends up being the most accurate for this event.
Analysts tend to have the inside scoop as to what’s going to happen for many teams, but even the most connected analysts don’t know everything, and teams can end up going rogue on draft night. Cleveland Browns fans have tried to stay as connected as possible to the team’s pre-draft process, hoping to get an inside look into what the team is planning with their two first-round picks.
The team has kept things pretty tight thus far, but that doesn’t mean that people don’t have their own theories. For instance, Matt Harmon, who is one of the most trusted sources when it comes to pre-draft rankings of receivers, is convinced the Browns are targeting former Ohio State wideout Carnell Tate.
“At WR, I think it’s Carnell Tate. He’s got the 7th best success rate that I’ve charted vs man coverage since the 2021 draft class. This is a guy who you can say fits all 32 NFL offenses,” Harmon said via 92.3’s The Fan.
"At WR, I think it's Carnell Tate. He's got the 7th best success rate that I've charted vs man coverage since the 2021 draft class. This is a guy who you can say fits all 32 NFL offenses."
➡️ @MattHarmon_BYB w/ @NickWilsonSays and @JPeterlin on which WR the #Browns should locked… https://t.co/dV11Yt0WRH pic.twitter.com/DCTaVOPDPx
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) April 13, 2026
Tate has been viewed as the wide receiver darling of this class for months, and as Harmon noted, he appears to be NFL-ready from the jump, which is an attractive quality for teams around the league. Rookie wide receiver talent has been spectacular in recent seasons, and Tate could be the latest Ohio State product to burst onto the scene.
The Browns’ depth at the position fades quickly after Jerry Jeudy, so any help they can get is imperative. A player like Tate doesn’t just have the potential to be a nice piece alongside Jeudy, but he’s believed to be a true WR1, an alpha player in his own right.
There hasn’t been a player like that in Cleveland for some time on the offensive side of the ball, and if they do go after Tate, this offense could take a major leap from the get-go. It will be interesting to see what direction the Browns go when they’re on the clock, as thoughts can change at a moment’s notice.
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