Carnell Tate's Recent Comments About The Steelers Have Turned Heads Quickly

The Pittsburgh Steelers have everyone curious about which direction they will take in the 2026 NFL Draft. With Pittsburgh hosting the draft for the first time in NFL history, the excitement has reached a boiling point. Mike McCarthy enters his first season in Pittsburgh, hoping to become the hometown hero as he looks to turn this Steelers team from a one-and-done playoff squad back into a legitimate Super Bowl contender. But to get there, he will need a strong showing in the 2026 NFL Draft. With 12 picks in their pocket, Steelers general manager Omar Khan and McCarthy are well positioned to make that happen.

Wide receiver is a position that has been frequently linked to the 21st overall pick, where the Steelers are scheduled to select in the first round. The top receiver in this class is Ohio State’s Carnell Tate. Many have assumed he would be off the board before Pittsburgh is on the clock at 21, but the Steelers could explore moving up and using their draft capital to land their guy at wide receiver. 

The Steelers have several different routes they can go with this pick. It will obviously depend on how the board shakes out, but it is no secret that the Steelers are high on Tate. There is also the fact that Tate played with Steelers quarterback Will Howard in college, which only adds to the hype. Tate spoke with several members of the Steelers media on Wednesday, and his comments immediately turned heads among Steelers fans.

"Yeah, I did meet with the Steelers," Tate said while speaking ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. "It was very cool. Got to talk to some great guys and we had some really simple conversations."

Tate was quickly asked by one of the media members if he thinks there is a chance the Steelers will draft him. Tate gave an obvious answer, but also a telling one. 

He did not directly confirm anything, but his response made it clear he is aware of the connection and the buzz surrounding Pittsburgh. 

"Oh yeah there is a chance," Tate said. "There's a chance I could hear my name called from anybody."

While he stayed careful not to say too much, the tone of his comments suggested he would not be surprised if the Steelers were seriously in the mix. For a player already viewed as one of the top wide receiver prospects in the class, even subtle answers like that only add more intrigue heading into draft night.

Still, even with all the speculation building around him, Tate’s production on the field speaks for itself. He finished the 2025 college season with 51 receptions, but made the most of those chances by consistently turning them into explosive plays. His 875 receiving yards showed he can stretch the field and create chunk gains whenever the ball comes his way.

Tate also found the end zone nine times, tying for 17th in the country, proving he is a real scoring threat both in the red zone and on deeper routes. Maybe the most eye-opening number is his 17.2 yards per catch average, which really shows how dangerous he is once he gets the ball in space.

Steelers Would Likely Have To Trade To Land Tate

For NFL evaluators, those efficiency numbers stand out more than raw volume. Tate is not just producing, he is producing in a way that clearly translates to the next level, which is exactly why teams like the Steelers are keeping such a close eye on him.

Khan and McCarthy would likely have to trade up to get Tate. However, if they believe he is as NFL-ready as many of the experts suggest, it might be worth it to finally solve the wide receiver room. A group of Michael Pittman Jr., DK Metcalf, and Tate would be a dangerous trio and would instantly change the look of that offense.

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