Ohio State wide receiver and projected first-round pick Carnell Tate is planning to leave school early and declare for the 2026 NFL Draft, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Tate, 20, arrived in Columbus in 2023 and managed to carve out a small role on offense as a freshman, despite the Buckeyes’ crowded receiver room. He stepped into the No. 3 job in 2024, and averaged 48.9 yards per game with four touchdowns on the season. This past season, he posted 79.5 yards per game with nine touchdowns, positioning himself as one of the top receiver prospects eligible for the 2026 draft.
Ohio State is known as ‘WRU,’ or Wide Receiver University, for their history of producing elite NFL wideouts under longtime receivers coach (and ex-Dolphins WR) Brian Hartline. (Hartline recently took a head coaching job at South Florida, so it will be interesting to see if that affects OSU’s status as the most consistent producer of pro-caliber wide receiving talent.)
Tate is the latest product out of that pipeline, which includes former teammates Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr. along with 2022 and 2023 first-rounders Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Based on those names alone, it is easy to see why NFL teams would be interesting in adding a Buckeyes receiver of their own.
Tate’s resume is not limited to his school. In addition to his solid traditional stats, he logged 3.03 yards per route run and a 85.7% contested catch rate, per Pro Football Focus. He also was not charged with a drop on 66 targets this season. Between his reliable hands, consistent route-running, and 6-foot-3 frame, Tate has plenty to offer that could fit in any NFL offense. He is already seen as a potential top-10 pick, and a strong gauntlet of testing at the NFL Combine in March could secure his stock.
LSU produces the elite WRs
Not this year apparently.