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New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson trying to make a play during an NFL game against the New England Patriots.
Well, we know what Garrett Wilson wants the New York Jets to do on draft day.
“Carnell Tate is my dog, and I know he could ball. I’m hoping the Jets figure out a way to get Carnell home,” Wilson told Justin Bobby of Whistle.
@whistle That Carnell Tate x Garrett Wilson duo would be unfair 🤯 @Justin Bobby #nfl #football #nfldraft #collegefootball #jets ♬ original sound – Whistle
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Getting Into Tate’s Draft Stock
The Jets hold the No. 2 and No. 16 overall picks, respectively, in the first round.
NFL draft analyst Drew Beatty told me on “Boy Green Daily” that there isn’t a wide receiver in this draft that is worth taking with the second overall pick. The problem for the Jets is who knows which of the top receivers will still be on the board when they pick next at No. 16.
Tate is the No. 8 overall-ranked player and the top-ranked wide receiver on the consensus big board.
To land Tate, the Jets may have to explore trading up from pick No. 16. The good news is the Jets have the ammo to pull off a move like that. They also hold the No. 33 and No. 44 overall picks, respectively, in the second round.
If the Jets packaged both of those second-round selections, that could get them to the No. 15 overall pick with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from day two, per the NFL draft value chart. There is also a path to packaging No. 16 and No. 44 to get themselves inside the top-eight of this draft, which could be just right to land Tate.
Ghosts of Yesterday Could Haunt the Jets on Draft Day
On the new “Jets Collective” podcast, ESPN’s Rich Cimini shared an old draft story.
“In 2023, the Jets were looking for a wide receiver to pair with Garrett Wilson. [They had the No. 15 overall pick that year]. I was checking in with some people at the Jets & that old regime. I was checking on wide receivers & I asked about one particular receiver who I thought might go in the 1st round. I go, what about this guy? He’s like, ‘eh, you know he’s slow on the stopwatch, he’s a slot receiver, & he has a hamstring injury. Why would we take that guy?’ That guy turned out to be Jaxon Smith-Njigba,” Cimini explained.
ESPN’s @RichCimini told a depressing old #Jets draft story to @JakeAsman & @BrandonTierney of what could have been:
‘In 2023 the Jets were looking for a wide receiver to pair with Garrett Wilson. [They had the 15th overall pick].
I was checking in with some people at the Jets &
The Jets will once again try to find a receiver to pair with Wilson in the 2026 NFL draft.
In 2023, the Jets passed on reuniting Wilson with a former Ohio State teammate in JSN. In 2026, they have a chance to change history. Tate is another talented Ohio State guy who’ll be staring the Jets in the face during the draft.
Getting Into Tate’s Numbers
Tate was at Ohio State for three seasons. During that run, he appeared in 39 games. With those opportunities, Tate has collected 121 catches for 1,872 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns.
“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,” NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote.
“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,” Zierlein added.
Paul Esden Jr. covers the New York Jets for Heavy.com. A New York native, he co-hosts a morning show, “The Manchild Show with Boy Green Digital.” Before joining Heavy in 2021, Esden Jr. covered both national and New York sports for FanSided, Elite Sports NY, and The Score 1260. More about Paul Esden Jr.
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