The Tennessee Titans have wrapped up offseason workouts and are on hiatus until the start of training camp at the end of July.
Now, with all of the offseason work in the books, it’s time to look back at some of those who made an impact, and one of those was a rookie who caught the eye of Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report, who lists him as one trending in the right direction.
Carnell Tate
In an effort to support second-year quarterback Cam Ward, the Tennessee Titans used the fourth overall pick on Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate. While many pundits believed Tennessee could have gotten better value by taking one of the draft’s elite defensive prospects, Tate is already looking like an early-impact receiver.
Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, for one, has been impressed.
“He’s a young player, still learning, but he’s smart,” he said, per John Glennon of the Nashville Post. “He’s got good ball skills. Everything we saw on tape at Ohio State …He’s come in, and he’s acclimated himself well.”
Tate wasn’t a true No. 1 receiver at Ohio State, but he frequently flashed with his route-running, body control, reliable hands, and ball skills. In other words, he’s the sort of reliable go-to target that Ward simply didn’t have as a rookie. The good news is that Tate doesn’t seem to be struggling with the jump to the NFL. The better news is that he already appears to be developing chemistry with his new quarterback.
“The Titans believe Tate has the tools to be a No. 1 receiver,” ESPN’s Turron Davenport wrote. “The rookie is off to a good start so far, after Ward connected with him frequently during OTAs.”
Ward has more than exceeded expectations and made a tremendous first impression during workouts. A big, physical receiver, Tate proved to be a matchup problem, and his chemistry with Ward has been on display throughout the open sessions. Yes, there is still a way to go, but so far, it appears general manager Mike Borgonzi made the right choice.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Titans’ Carnell Tate named a rookie trending in the right direction
