Carnell Tate Reveals Which Star NFL QB Slid Into His DMs

Every draft expert has published a final mock before the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft begins on Thursday night.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels really hopes Peter Schrager and Field Yates are right. Both of those ESPN mock drafts project Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate to land in D.C. at No. 7 overall.

On Thursday morning, Tate told Kay Adams that he’s heard from Daniels and Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin, a fellow Ohio State alum.

“[Daniels] just said, hopefully it all works out, and you end up here,” Tate said. “He was just wishing me well.”

The last time the Commanders had a top-10 pick, they drafted Daniels at No. 2 overall in 2024. His rookie season was magical, as he immediately developed a lethal connection with McLaurin, who posted 1,096 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns on 82 catches.

Washington reached the NFC Championship Game for the first time since the 1991 season, but was clocked 55-23 by the eventual champion Philadelphia Eagles. That misfortune carried into the 2025 season.

The Commanders suffered a barrage of injuries, leading to a 5-12 record. Daniels missed all but seven games last season due to knee, hamstring, and elbow injuries. McLaurin was hampered by a lingering quad injury that limited him to a career-low 10 games.

The Commanders have several roster holes, but adding Tate to the mix would go a long way in supporting Daniels and getting the Commanders’ offense back on track.

Tate would complement McLaurin, without the pressure of having to immediately be WR1, and fill out a thin wide receiver room, especially with veteran Deebo Samuel remaining unsigned.

In his final season at Ohio State, McLaurin caught 51 passes for 875 yards and nine touchdowns on 17.2 yards per reception.

The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft begins at 8 p.m. ET.

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This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 10:04 AM.