NFL Draft intel: Carnell Tate's stock soaring, David Bailey-Arvell Reese debate, Sonny Styles-Fred Warner comps

Each week, Yardbarker monitors the 2026 NFL Draft, scheduled April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. 

We're answering the biggest questions about the draft. With that in mind, here are five:

Could Ohio State Buckeyes WR Carnell Tate be worthy of a top-five pick in the draft?

The Ringer's Todd McShay and NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah have said Tate (6-foot-2, 192 pounds) could be a top-five pick. 

"I think he's in play, like, at 2. I just think there's a lot of Tate supporters out there," Jeremiah told ESPN's Mina Kimes on her podcast. "Look, I'll say this: if Tate was 205 pounds instead of 192 pounds and he ran a 4.42 instead of a 4.53, I think there's a real chance he's the second pick in the draft." 

Ohio State has a proven track record at WR, improving Tate's stock. See Seattle Seahawks star wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba, 2025 Offensive Player of the Year. Tate logged more receiving yards (1,872 on 121 receptions in 39 games) than Smith-Njigba (1,698 on 110 receptions in 23 games) in college. Perhaps he can become a WR1 for the team grabs him in the draft. 

"There's a lot of debate about WR1, but Tate's my pick," wrote The Ringer's Steve Muench in his scouting report. "His combination of size, fluidity, attention to detail as a route runner and aggressive, strong hands makes him the most complete player in a strong receiver class."

The Tennessee Titans (pick No. 4) or New York Giants (pick No. 5) may want to consider taking Tate. Second-year QBs Cam Ward (Titans) and Jaxson Dart (Giants) could both use another talented target. 

Should the New York Jets take Texas Tech Red Raiders LB David Bailey or Ohio State LB Arvell Reese?

Jeremiah and ESPN's Peter Schrager said Monday they've heard the Jets may take Bailey (6-foot-4, 251 pounds) with pick No. 2 instead of Reese (6-foot-4, 241 pounds). 

Reese is considered to have more upside, but Bailey's the more polished pass-rusher. The Texas Tech star tied for the most sacks (14.5) in the nation in 2025, while the Ohio State standout had 6.5.

"Bailey has an explosive first step, a polished pass-rush repertoire and a habit of making big plays that will make him an immediate three-down starter with few limitations early on and All-Pro potential in his future," wrote Sports Info Solutions' Kyle Shatto in his scouting report. 

Reese will convert from off-ball LB to full-time edge-rusher when he turns pro, so he'll need time to refine his pass-rushing arsenal. That may make Bailey a better pick for the Jets, who need immediate impact players after going 3-14 last season. 

Why should teams feel confident about taking Ohio State LB Sonny Styles with a top-10 pick? 

Many mocks have Styles going somewhere in the top 10. Some may feel that's too high for an off-ball LB, considered less valuable than an edge-rusher.

The San Francisco 49ers selected LB Fred Warner with pick No. 70 in the third round in 2018. The former BYU Cougars star, however, would go much higher in a re-draft after earning four first-team All-Pro nods in eight seasons with San Francisco. Styles boasts the tools that could help him become a similar player. 

"Styles is a rare athlete at 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds with 4.46 speed, great length and plenty of range to be a factor as a coverage linebacker," wrote ESPN's Matt Miller in a story published Tuesday. "Like Warner, Styles has an awesome ability to lock down in coverage and make an impact as a pass-rusher (nine career sacks)." 

Styles started his career as a safety, which helped him develop strong pass-coverage skills. He logged nine passes defended and one interception in four seasons at Ohio State. Warner was still better in pass coverage at the college level with 13 passes defended and seven interceptions in four seasons at BYU.

Is Tennessee Volunteers CB Jermod McCoy back in the top-10 conversation?

McCoy (6-foot-1, 188 pounds) missed the 2025 season because of an ACL tear in his right knee. He mitigated concerns about the injury at his pro day last Tuesday, running a 4.38 40-yard dash. 

That may have some teams feeling more comfortable about taking him in the top 10. On X, Miller predicted McCoy would be the first CB taken in the draft. McShay also shared on his Monday podcast that sources have said that the CB could be a top-10 pick.