Ohio State has had a wide receiver selected in the first round in four straight years. Carnell Tate could make it five in 2026.
On Tuesday, Tate declared for the 2026 NFL draft, where he will look to become Ohio State’s sixth first-round receiver since 2022 (or seventh if you include Jameson Williams, who transferred from Ohio State to Alabama for his final season), joining Garrett Wilson (2022), Chris Olave (2022), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (2023), Marvin Harrison Jr. (2024) and Emeka Egbuka (2025).
— Carnell Tate (@carnelltate_) January 7, 2026
An immediate contributor as a freshman, Tate collected 18 catches for 264 yards and one touchdown in a wide receiver room that featured Harrison, Egbuka and Julian Fleming as its starters. Tate then earned a No. 3 role behind Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith in 2024, recording 52 catches for 733 yards and four touchdowns.
Finally in Ohio State’s top two as a junior, Tate proved himself as one of the best wide receivers in college football, collecting 51 catches for 875 yards and nine touchdowns in 11 appearances.
Before a midseason injury he described as “a little bump in the road” before the Cotton Bowl, Tate outperformed Smith — a future top pick in 2027 — on a few occasions, including Ohio State’s wins over Minnesota (nine catches, 183 yards, two touchdowns) and Wisconsin (six catches, 111 yards, two touchdowns).
This is just a my guy is better than your two guys throw.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) October 18, 2025
Carnell Tate, man. pic.twitter.com/cZR6VCS4WS
At 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, Tate has the size and talent of a future WR1 in the NFL. While all his stats are impressive, his most impressive metric is his contested catch percentage: Tate hauled in 12 of 14 (85.7%) contested passes Julian Sayin threw his way this past season, indicating Tate’s future NFL signal-caller will have plenty of confidence throwing him the football, especially when he’s wide open, but even when he’s covered.
Tate is the first member of Ohio State’s 2025 roster with remaining eligibility to publicly declare for the 2026 NFL draft.
Ohio State is now in the market for a transfer wide receiver to replace Tate in the starting lineup, as each of the Buckeyes’ top backup receivers from last season – Quincy Porter, Mylan Graham and Bryson Rodgers – have entered the transfer portal. Incoming freshman Chris Henry Jr. could also be a candidate to start immediately alongside returning starters Jeremiah Smith and Brandon Inniss.
