The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off a down year, to put it lightly, that culminated in quarterback Patrick Mahomes tearing his ACL. But when he returns to the gridiron, the Chiefs want to make sure he is throwing to electric playmakers.
Holding the No. 9 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Kansas City will have an opportunity to land one of the premier players in the class. Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate could be their pick. He is at least in Jordan Reid of ESPN's latest mock draft.
“The Chiefs desperately need to give Patrick Mahomes a receiver who can consistently beat man-to-man coverage,” Reid wrote. “Tate is a silky-smooth route runner who has plenty of range as a pass catcher. He also has arguably the best hands in this class, with only one drop on 67 targets last season. He is a three-level threat who displays his polish on all branches of the route tree. While he wasn't as productive in college, Tate reminds me of DeVonta Smith in body type and how they win routes and could be a similar high-end No. 2 receiver in the NFL.”
Giving Mahomes a receiver like DeVonta Smith to pass to would certainly re-ignite Kansas City's offense. As it stands, Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice are the top receivers in the offense. Adding a player like Tate to the mix would make the Chiefs much more potent when all three are healthy.
Over his three years at Ohio State, the receiver caught 121 passes for 1,872 yards and 14 touchdowns. He won a national championship with the Buckeyes in 2024 before catching 51 passes for 875 yards and nine touchdowns in 2025.
When it comes to the 2026 class, Tate is considered one of the best receivers available. Based on Kansas City's past history, they usually wouldn't have a chance to land a player of his caliber in the draft. But now at No. 9, they are in prime position. If the Chiefs want to further elevate their passing game, Tate could be the strongest fit.
