“He’ll Regret It” — NFL Execs Blast Titans for Drafting Carnell Tate Over Arvell Reese

The Titans provided one of the first surprises of the NFL draft, taking Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate over Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese with the fourth-overall pick. 

Some NFL GMs and evaluators believe it will prove to be a critical mistake for head coach Robert Saleh.

Tate was certainly regarded as one of the top receivers in the draft, but his lack of true burning speed threatens to limit his impact deep downfield in the NFL, and even in a draft that was short on premium blue chip talent, that felt like a stretch to several rival front offices.

A No 2 WR, Or Potentially The Best Defensive Player In The Draft?

‘“It’s hard to find a lot of true No. 1 receivers with that 40 time,” one NFL general manager said. 

“It doesn’t really happen. Taking a receiver without the speed to take the top off a defense there, that’s too high to me.”

Another GM: “I didn’t like that pick. I thought they would have jumped on Reese.”

Saleh has a defensive background and while the Titans need play makers for young quarterback Cam Ward, their top pick a year ago, the depth at receiver far surpassed the potential to land a premium pass rusher. 

Reese will require some work and creative to fully tap into his skillset, but that should a calling card for Saleh given his lengthy background as a defensive coordinator. 

“He’s going to regret passing on Reese,” one longtime NFL personnel exec said. 

“The guy who took him (Giants coach John Harbaugh with the fifth pick) will know how to use him, watch. That’s a big, powerful dude. He’s going to be a handful on the edge in that defense. You have to willing to move him around and think outside the box, but that size and power, that’s a top five pick my man. Not the wide receiver.”

Perhaps the Titans will prove to be right over time. But that hasn’t often been the case with that franchise the last five years or so.