Browse the latest wave of 2026 mock drafts and you'll find more than a few NFL writers linking the New Orleans Saints to Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate. The 6-foot-3 wideout has rocketed up draft boards after his 51-catch, 875-yard, and 9-touchdown season, and now he's widely seen as a potential top-10 pick. So is his Ohio State teammate Caleb Downs, a safety prospect being talked about like a truly generational talent at the position.
Downs interviewed Tate for the Downs 2 Business podcast he hosts with his brother Josh, an Indianapolis Colts wideout who was drafted out of North Carolina back in 2023. And when they asked the rookie wide receiver where he'd like to play in the NFL, Tate said location doesn't matter so much as situation -- he wants to get the kinds of targets leading receivers like Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Puca Nacua see each week. And he thinks Tyler Shough could get him those passes, too.
"Where I go doesn't really matter, it's about the ball," Tate said. Josh Downs suggested the Buffalo Bills as a fit, to which Tate agreed. "I'd love to go play with Josh Allen. He can get you the ball, he's experienced. Like I feel like the Saints with Tyler, Tyler's been balling."
That's a fit the elder Downs signed off on. He pointed out that Chris Olave, Tate's fellow Buckeye, could be a great mentor for him: "Saints would be cool too though. You've got Olave on the other side, y'all compliment each other well."
Tate is capable of making catches other receivers can't, partly due to his larger frame but also his refined skills. He doesn't drop many passes or let opportunities to make a play slip through his hands. Even with Devaughn Vele, Bub Means, and Ja'Lynn Polk returning from injuries, Tate would be a welcome addition at the top of the depth chart.
It's a good listen, with the elder Downs recapping his intense formal meeting with Saints coaches at the NFL Scouting Combine and pre-draft visits with other teams that didn't grill him as harshly. Both Tate and the younger Downs could be options for New Orleans in April's draft, and if this conversation is any indication, it's a match Tate would welcome with open arms. That goes to show you how much Shough has done to change the team's perception.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: WR Carnell Tate a fan of Tyler Shough, Josh Allen
