Carnell Tate Explains Why NFL Combine Meeting With Cleveland Browns Was Great

The Cleveland Browns have been very active at the 2026 NFL Combine.

And understandbly so.

After a strugglesome 2025 campaign, both the front office and coaching staff knew the 2026 offseason would be an important one for the team moving forward. In order to add talent to the roster and hopefully increase the productivity from the offense, they spoke to Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate, who's projected to be a first-round selection come draft day.

Tate came out and confirmed that the two sides had a well-rounded meeting this week.

"I had a great meeting with the Browns, Andrew Berry, the GM, head coach Todd Monken, and the receiver coach," Tate said. "We just talked ball. They got up there, and we talked ball. Put my film on, see what all I can remember."

In his junior campaign with the Buckeyes, he put up the best numbers of his college career. He hauled in 51 catches for 875 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 17.2 yards a reception and just under a touchdown a game.

Carnell Tate said he had a great meeting with Andrew Berry and the Cleveland Browns. https://t.co/lsdGFR7FHz pic.twitter.com/PE05OCtjOc
— Nick Pedone (@NickPedone12) February 27, 2026

That type of offensive production is what many teams around the league are hoping to see from him in the NFL, but especially the Browns. They are in dire need of surrounding whoever the team's quarterback is in 2026 with legitimate weapons.

Tate's Fit in Cleveland

The Browns don't have much talent at the wide receiver position, and quite frankly, anywhere on the offense outside of the running back room.

But even that area of the offense would enjoy a boost this offseason.

In 2025, it became very obvious that one key positional need was going to be wide receiver, mainly due to the young, inexperienced players not flourishing the way the team thought they would.

The Browns' leading receiver by the end of the campaign was rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr., who capped off his excellent year with 731 yards and six touchdowns on 72 receptions. However, outside of Fannin Jr., the offense had very little efficiency from its wideouts, with Jerry Jeudy and Isaiah Bond, two of Cleveland's top receivers, finishing the year with less than 1,000 yards combined.

In total, only four touchdowns were scored by wide receivers in 2025.

By drafting Tate, the Browns would be immediately heightening their productivity, simply due to his ability to not only spread the field, but also make chunk plays happen. He was known for going up and grabbing a deep ball from quarterback Julian Sayin and taking it the distance for a score.

His presence on the team would also allow the Browns to free up Jerry Jeudy, potentially allowing him to be matched up against weaker defensive backs and return back to 2024 form.

If Tate is on the board still and Cleveland has its sixth overall pick, there's a realistic chance that the Browns' front office makes a splash.

When asked who he thinks is the best wide receiver in the draft, Tate stood strong on the confidence he has in himself.

“Me, no question ... I bring it all to the table," he said. "Whatever you need to do, I got it.”

Alongside Tate, there are countless other Ohio State products the Browns are monitoring, including linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles. Anyone from the program who calls Columbus home would be a major upgrade to the current roster.

The talented wide receiver will have a chance to hear his name called on the grandest stage in just a few weeks time. The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh, Pa., from Thursday, April 23, to Saturday, April 25.