7. Washington Commanders: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
The Washington Commanders found a ton of success going to the Ohio State well for Terry McLaurin a handful of years ago, maybe they will be able to find similar success with Carnell Tate here in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Tate is one of the best offensive weapons in this year’s class, obviously, and while he might not have the same type of flash as other WR1 types of prospects through the years, he’s going to be a tremendous help to any offense he gets drafted to.
These receiver prospects coming from the Ohio State program are just so refined when they come into the league. They know how to get open, they know how to find soft spots against zone coverage, they’ve got good hands, and they have a great feel for winning against all types of defensive backs. Tate is no exception. He’s going to be a really solid pro for a long time, and will pair up nicely with Terry McLaurin in Washington.
8. New Orleans Saints: Rueben Bain, EDGE/DL, Miami
With the likelihood that Cameron Jordan is not coming back this upcoming season, the New Orleans Saints have to brace themselves for a reality they have not had to face as a franchise since 2010. It will be a new era in many regards for this Saints team, but you’ve got to love the way this team played at the end of last season when Tyler Shough took over as the starting quarterback.
The Saints look like they could truly be one of the more interesting NFC teams in 2026, and getting a playmaker for the defensive line like Rueben Bain could help take them to the next level.
Bain was a mainstay in the top five picks of most 2026 NFL mock draft predictions for a long time, but some question marks have arisen about his length and where he will ultimately land positionally at the next level. We’ll let Brandon Staley worry about that.