Will Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate be available for the Rams to pick or trade up for in the first round? Who knows. But if he is, that selection could be the piece to push this offense over the top.

Recent mock drafts from The Athletic, CBS Sports and others have the Rams selecting Tate in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Some of those projections have Los Angeles trading up to select him, as Tate is expected by many to go earlier than No. 13 overall, which is where the Rams' pick currently sits. If the they were to nab Tate, it would be the first time general manager Les Snead has selected a wide receiver in the first round since he took Tavon Austin eighth overall in 2013.

This is not an endorsement of Tate by the Rams, nor is it an indication that they are targeting him. This is simply a reflection of external media linking Tate to Los Angeles in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Here's a scouting report on Tate and what he could bring to the Rams offense:

Scouting Report

Tate is an explosive play waiting to happen.

On passes traveling 20-plus yards in the air, Tate led the Big Ten in touchdowns (six), tied for third in receptions (11) and ranked third in yards (453), according to Pro Football Focus. He also brought in six of seven contested targets in that context (85.7%), which led all Big Ten players with at least four such targets.

Those stats should put into perspective his productivity on deep balls, but here's how NFL.com's Lance Zierlein explained the process he uses to facilitate that success.

"He builds momentum quickly on intermediate and deep routes, utilizing speed and tempo to pressure cornerbacks," Zierlein wrote. "He can win over the top on verticals or separate over the first two levels with route savvy and separation burst. Tate tracks throws at top speed and makes his adjustments to run under them. He combines timing, body control and catch radius to dominate air space and consistently lands on the winning side of contested catches."

At 6-foot-2, 192 pounds, Tate specializes in downfield playmaking and his hands act as vacuums on 50/50 balls, but he's also a complete receiver.

"Tate stepped into a full-time role in 2025 and surpassed expectations that were already high," wrote The Athletic's Dane Brugler. "He builds his speed to be a dynamic playmaker downfield, while also showing the technical know-how to uncover on short-to-intermediate routes. He is an outstanding tracker of the football and consistently owns the catch point, regardless of placement. He is going to be a playmaking Z receiver in the NFL."

Tate's 4.53-second 40-yard dash time doesn't reflect his game speed or his ability to win vertically. He's often compared to other Ohio State products who have shown a pronounced ability to win downfield in the pros: Washington's Terry McLaurin and New Orleans' Chris Olave. He's taller than both and many analysts consider his ceiling to be higher.

There are very few consensus knocks on Tate's game, and the ones that do exist are coachable. If the Rams were to add Tate, he would satisfy their present and future needs at the receiver position.

Fit

Wide receiver Tutu Atwell has been the Rams' deep threat in recent years, but he recently signed with the Dolphins in free agency. Last season, he got hurt and then was made a healthy scratch multiple times throughout the season due to a lack of special teams role and a changing offensive identity that featured heavier personnel. Thus, the Rams didn't often have someone on the field who could take the top off the defense. That is Tate's specialty.

Tate isn't a speedster like Atwell, but his effect on defenses is similar to what Atwell provided at his best. Tate's precise route-running and ability to manipulate leverage help him get open downfield and then win jump balls more often than not.

The Rams love to run intermediate digs and crossers. What clears the safeties out for those to succeed? Go balls, which was Tate's most common route run at Ohio State (26.4%) according to SumerSports. There's no doubt his presence would enhance the Rams' passing attack at all levels of the field. The only question is whether they will realistically have the opportunity to draft him.

"Almost everyone agrees that Tate is WR1, but in talking to scouts at the Ohio State pro day, a recurring question was if he's a top-10 pick," wrote Ryan Wilson in a recent mock draft for CBS Sports. "In this mock, he falls to No. 13, but lands in an ideal spot: a Sean McVay offense with Matthew Stafford somehow still in his prime."

Tate is far from the Rams' most common projection in the first round. That title belongs to USC wide receiver Makai Lemon, who has been selected by the Rams in an overwhelming majority of recent mock drafts. But if the Rams have the opportunity to add a skill set as complementary to the offense as Tate's would be, it's hard to imagine they pass on it.