With the 2026 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans are doing more than just building up their roster. They're reuniting long-separated friends.
The Titans picked center Pat Coogan with the No. 194 pick in the sixth round of the NFL draft on April 25, potentially finding a new anchor to line up in front of QB Cam Ward. But it's not Coogan's connection with Ward that's notable. It's his connection with first-round pick Carnell Tate.
"Me and Carnell, we go way back," Coogan said in an interview with local media after the Titans drafted him. "Marist High School, we would drive to morning workouts together at 5:45 in the morning. I'm super proud of Carnell. He earned it. He really did. It's a great connection.
"There's a saying here in the south side of Chicago where me and him are both from: South side, there's nothing like it. There are connections everywhere, and it's funny how far that travels right now to the NFL."
Carnell Tate, left and Keldric Faulk enter the room as the Titans present their first two NFL Draft selections at their practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026.From left, general manager Mike Borgonzi, wide receiver Carnell Tate, edge defender Keldric Faulk and coach Robert Saleh take questions as The Titans present their first two NFL Draft selections at their practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026.Coach Robert Saleh takes questions as the Titans present their first two NFL Draft selections wide receiver Carnell Tate and edge defender Keldric Faulk at their practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026.Edge defender Keldric Faulk takes questions at the Titans' practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026. He was the Titans second draft pick for 2026.Wide receiver Carnell Tate takes questions at the Titans' practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026. He was the Titans first draft pick for 2026.Wide receiver Carnell Tate takes questions at the Titans' practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026. He was the Titans first draft pick for 2026.From left, general manager Mike Borgonzi, wide receiver Carnell Tate, edge defender Keldric Faulk and coach Robert Saleh take questions as The Titans present their first two NFL Draft selections at their practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026.1 / 7Meet the Titans newest draft picks Carnell Tate and Keldrick FaulkCarnell Tate, left and Keldric Faulk enter the room as the Titans present their first two NFL Draft selections at their practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026.1 / 7Meet the Titans newest draft picks Carnell Tate and Keldrick FaulkCarnell Tate, left and Keldric Faulk enter the room as the Titans present their first two NFL Draft selections at their practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026.2 / 7Meet the Titans newest draft picks Carnell Tate and Keldrick FaulkFrom left, general manager Mike Borgonzi, wide receiver Carnell Tate, edge defender Keldric Faulk and coach Robert Saleh take questions as The Titans present their first two NFL Draft selections at their practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026.3 / 7Meet the Titans newest draft picks Carnell Tate and Keldrick FaulkCoach Robert Saleh takes questions as the Titans present their first two NFL Draft selections wide receiver Carnell Tate and edge defender Keldric Faulk at their practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026.4 / 7Meet the Titans newest draft picks Carnell Tate and Keldrick FaulkEdge defender Keldric Faulk takes questions at the Titans' practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026. He was the Titans second draft pick for 2026.5 / 7Meet the Titans newest draft picks Carnell Tate and Keldrick FaulkWide receiver Carnell Tate takes questions at the Titans' practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026. He was the Titans first draft pick for 2026.6 / 7Meet the Titans newest draft picks Carnell Tate and Keldrick FaulkWide receiver Carnell Tate takes questions at the Titans' practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026. He was the Titans first draft pick for 2026.7 / 7Meet the Titans newest draft picks Carnell Tate and Keldrick FaulkFrom left, general manager Mike Borgonzi, wide receiver Carnell Tate, edge defender Keldric Faulk and coach Robert Saleh take questions as The Titans present their first two NFL Draft selections at their practice facility in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, April 24, 2026.Coogan was a couple of years older than Tate in high school, and Tate left Marist and Chicago in general early in his high school tenure to transfer to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida But the two forged enough of an early connection that Coogan, who started his college career at Notre Dame before transferring to Indiana and winning a national championship in 2025, was trying to recruit Tate to follow him to college back when Tate was still a young player.
"He is an unbelievable football player," Coogan said. "I remember talking to him early, really early, when he was a freshman and I was a junior. I had just gotten an offer from Notre Dame. I believe I was committed. He was still super young and green but you could see the talent right away. I remember talking to him and trying to get him to go to Notre Dame with me. But he was like 'No, I'm going to Ohio State. Ohio State's my dream.' It came to fruition."
The Titans drafted Tate with the No. 4 pick in the first round on April 23. Tate and Coogan are among the four offensive players who the Titans have selected through six rounds of the NFL draft, joined by fifth-round offensive lineman Fernando Carmona and fifth-round running back Nicholas Singleton.
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X @nicksuss. Subscribe to the Talkin’ Titans newsletter for updates sent directly to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Titans reunite former teammates Carnell Tate, Pat Coogan as NFL draft picks