Lamar Jackson has brought home a pair of Associated Press NFL MVP awards despite less-than-stellar receiver play. In a recent 2026 NFL mock draft, the Baltimore Ravens gave him an exciting receiver to lean on in future seasons.
Mock Draft Has Ravens Giving Lamar Jackson Much-Needed Playmaker in 2026 NFL Draft
The Ravens have drafted three wideouts in the first round for Jackson. As Baltimore continues to try to reach the Super Bowl in a tough conference, it wouldn’t hurt it to add another playmaker next spring. Ohio State’s Carnell Tate fits that bill, even though he hasn’t been the top pass-catching option in his team’s offense.
“Zay Flowers seems to be the WR1 the Baltimore Ravens have needed in recent years,” Jacob Infante wrote. “However, with DeAndre Hopkins a short-term addition and Rashod Bateman better suited for a complementary role, adding another receiver in Round 1 makes sense, given the value in this 2026 NFL Mock Draft.
“Keep an eye on Carnell Tate now that he doesn’t have Emeka Egbuka competing for touches in Ohio State’s offense. He’s a tall, explosive receiver with good spatial awareness against zone coverage. He has serious deep-threat potential.”
Tate was the second wideout taken off the board in the mock draft, after Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson (No. 19, Pittsburgh Steelers). Tate heads into his true junior season in Columbus, having racked up 70 career catches for 997 yards and five touchdowns. He’s notched a reception in all 28 games he’s played for the Buckeyes, but figures to have a breakout campaign as Ryan Day’s No. 2 wideout.
Tate would join Marquise Brown (No. 25 overall, 2019), Rashod Bateman (No. 27, 2021) and Zay Flowers (No. 22, 2023) as receivers to be taken in the first round while Jackson is starring for the Ravens.
Flowers posted a 1,000-yard campaign a season ago, totaling 74 grabs and four touchdowns. Brown registered a 1,000-yard effort in 2021 before being traded to the Arizona Cardinals the following offseason. Brown totaled 2,361 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns with Baltimore, both figures being the highest of that trio of first-round selections.
Later in the mock draft, Baltimore selected Oregon guard Emmanuel Pregnon (No. 60 overall), Florida State defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr. (No. 92), Oklahoma running back Jadyn Ott (No. 125), Minnesota edge rusher Anthony Smith (No. 131), Miami quarterback Carson Beck (No. 157) and North Carolina cornerback Thaddeus Dixon (No. 163).
Other receivers currently on the Ravens’ roster include Devontez Walker, Tylan Wallace, LaJohntay Wester, Anthony Miller, Malik Cunningham and Keith Kirkwood.
