2026 NFL Combine: Carnell Tate Details 'Great' Meeting With Saints

It seems like there is mutual interest between the New Orleans Saints and Carnell Tate

Dec 6, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate (17) looks on in the first half against the Indiana Hoosiers during the 2025 Big Ten championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

INDIANAPOLIS — Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate is arguably the top wide receiver in the 2026 NFL Draft class and is already being linked to the New Orleans Saints at pick No. 8.

Those talks will only get louder after Tate confirmed to OnSI that he has met with the Saints, a meeting he described as "great."

Tate, 21, spoke in depth about the meeting, a potential pairing with former Buckeye wide receiver Chris Olave, and what he saw from Tyler Shough in his rookie season with New Orleans.

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The Carnell Tate-Saints buzz is very real

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate waits to talk to reporters during the Cotton Bowl Media Day at AT&T Stadium in Dallas prior to the College Football Playoff matchup against the Miami Hurricanes on Dec. 29, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"That meeting went well," Tate said of his meeting with New Orleans. "It was great. We talked about my film. They critiqued me on a couple routes... they see what I can memorize and what I can do to get better."

Though Tate didn't confirm whether it was a formal interview, saying they sat down to break down film and critique his routes suggests he was likely one of the Saints' 45 permitted formal interviews. Teams are given 20 minutes during the Scouting Combine to speak with players in the suites of Lucas Oil Stadium.

The projected top-10 pick in the draft caught 51 passes for a career-high 875 receiving yards and nine touchdowns at Ohio State in 2025, alongside 2027 NFL Draft prospect Jeremiah Smith, who served as the team's primary target. Tate is listed by ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper as the fifth-ranked player in the draft class.

Tate recognized that the Saints "may be out there looking for another offensive weapon" to pair with Olave and Shough as they enter the second year of the Kellen Moore-led offense.

Tate said that he saw really promising things in the quarterback's first season at the helm:

"Tyler finished the season strong," Tate said. "He had a great back half of the season. I think he went on to win five games for the Saints... [He's] stretching the field and being very accurate... I think it’ll be a great match."

The NFL Draft is just under two months out, but the Saints' interest in Tate seems very strong and it seems like the feeling is mutual. The bottom line: New Orleans needs another offensive weapon immediately.