The Buffalo Bills lack a No. 1 wide receiver, but the 2026 NFL Draft’s top receiver would like to fill that need.
Ohio State’s Carnell Tate shared that if he could play with any quarterback in the NFL, it would be Josh Allen.
Appearing on the Downs 2 Business podcast with Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, Tate told the brothers that he would like to play on the Bills with Allen.
“I’d love to go play with Josh Allen. He can get you the ball; he’s experienced.”
He added that wherever he lands, he hopes to get the type of targets that Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua receives on a game-by-game basis.
Adding Tate to Buffalo’s roster would solve a lot of the team’s problems on offense, but it may not be realistic. Tate is currently projected as a top-10 pick in this year’s draft class. Buffalo, set to pick at No. 26, would have to make an aggressive jump up the board to have any chance of landing Tate.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein has compared Tate to New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave. Olave was a top trade target for Buffalo at the NFL trade deadline this season, but the Saints made it known that they did not plan on moving the talented receiver.
Here is what Zierlein had to say about Tate:
Ascending “Z” receiver who continues to step out from the shadow of Ohio State teammate Jeremiah Smith. Tate has good size but would benefit from more play strength. He builds momentum quickly on intermediate and deep routes, utilizing speed and tempo to pressure cornerbacks. 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. Pass catching comes effortlessly with soft, strong hands and he consistently works back on throws to keep ballhawks from hawking. Tate displays rare polish for a player his age and has the talent to become a heralded pro within his first three seasons.
Tate enters the draft coming off a season in which he caught 51 passes for 875 yards and nine touchdowns.
Landing a player of Tate’s caliber on a rookie deal would help Buffalo significantly, as they are not likely to be major players in free agency due to cap space. Beane has shown his willingness to be aggressive in the past. If he is willing to do so once again, Tate could get his wish on playing with Allen.