For every athlete who makes it to the pros, the first paycheck holds a special place as a culmination of all the hard work they put in to reach the mountaintop. Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, who was picked No. 4 overall by the Titans, knew what he would do with his draft check, and it starts with family.
After Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft, Front Office Sports
asked first-round picks what they would do with their first paycheck. Tate, the first Buckeye called on Day 1,
is set to make around $48.7 million in his rookie deal. The former Ohio State wide receiver said he will “probably get granny a house.” After his first press conference as a Tennessee Titans
player, Tate took a family picture, and you could guess who was standing right next to him: his grandmother.
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Sonny Styles
was drafted by the Washington Commanders
with the No. 7 overall pick, two places behind fellow linebacker Arvell Reese, who was No. 5. With a projected $35.5 million rookie deal, Styles must have been influenced by realtors, as he plans to put his money in real estate. “No idea. I already have a car… Maybe some property, own a house.”
Defensive back Caleb Downs
was the fourth member of the Buckeyes to make the top 11, and he was selected with the 11th overall pick by the Dallas Cowboys
, who traded up one spot from No. 12 to secure Downs. For the financial experts, the best answer was reserved for last, as Downs claimed he would save his first paycheck from his $28.9 million rookie deal. “Save it up. First thing I’m gonna do is put it in the bank,” he said.
Tate was not the only one among the interviewed stars to choose family first. Other stars, like New Orleans Saints
No. 8 pick Jordyn Tyson, New York Giants
No. 10 pick Francis Mauigoa, and Philadelphia Eagles
No. 20 pick Makai Lemon, all mentioned making big purchases for their parents or family members.
Ty Simpson
, who was selected with the 13th overall pick by the Los Angeles Rams
, prioritized giving “back to the church” before considering the idea of getting himself a car. David Bailey probably gave the weirdest response of the bunch, declaring his desire to purchase “a sick, crazy dog.” Something as crazy as a “cane corso, malinois, german shepherd”.
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However, it must be pointed out that these are different times. The likes of Carnell Tate, Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles, Jordyn Tyson and Ty Simpson have already made money while playing in college. For instance, Tate’s NIL valuation was estimated at around $1.6 million last season. Similarly, Downs peaked at around $2.5 million during his final season at Ohio State. Simpson, on the other hand, rejected an offer of $6.5 million to enter the NFL draft.
Titans GM settles Carnell Tate vs Jordyn Tyson debate
The debate between Carnell Tate and Jordyn Tyson remains one of the hottest even after the NFL draft. While some believe Tyson is the best wide receiver in the class, others think Tate is. But according to the Titans’ GM Mike Borgonzi, they made the best choice with Tate.
“Real excited about the two guys we added here tonight,” he said after the Day 1 of the draft. “Carnell Tate, we thought he was the best receiver in the draft. Well, he’s a bigger, vertical guy. The route running, very efficient, his route running. I thought he had exceptional ball skills to be able to track the footballs and catch radius downfield. I think he’s going to be a great fit in this offense. And you know, he’s 20 years old last year playing at Ohio State.”
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Tate has gotten a great reception at Tennessee, and all he needs to do is prove himself as the best wide receiver. For now, the focus isn’t on future riches but on proving the Titans’ faith.
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