2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State

Name: Carnell Tate

Position: Wide Receiver

School: Ohio State University

Height/Weight: 6’2”, 191 lbs

Class: Junior (2025 season)

Hometown: Chicago, IL

High School: IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)

Recruiting Rank: 5-star recruit, No. 28 overall, No. 3 WR nationally in 2023 class (247Sports Composite)

Draft Projections:

•  Pro Football Network → 1st round, Top 5–10 overall, WR1 (December 2025)

•  PFF → 1st round, Top 10, WR1 (highest cumulative grade among WRs since 2024)

•  NFL Draft Buzz → 1st round, #1 WR, potential highest-drafted Ohio State WR since Chris Olave (2022)

•  NFL.com → Early 1st round projection

•  ESPN (Mel Kiper) → Top WR in 2026 class

•  Consensus → Clear WR1, likely Day 1 selection in top 10, with strong top-5 upside

Career Background

A consensus five-star recruit and top-3 wide receiver nationally, Carnell Tate transferred to IMG Academy for his senior year after starring at Marist High School in Chicago, where he caught 30 passes for 777 yards and 8 TDs in 2022 for a program that went 8-1. At Ohio State, he saw rotational action as a true freshman in 2023 before breaking out in 2024 with 52 receptions for 733 yards and 4 TDs, contributing to a Big Ten title and CFP appearance. In 2025, as a co-feature receiver alongside Jeremiah Smith, Tate posted 51 receptions for 875 yards and 9 TDs in 11 games, helping Ohio State to a 10-2 record and CFP berth despite missing three midseason games due to injury. He declared for the 2026 NFL Draft on December 31, 2025, citing gratitude to faith, family, and Buckeye Nation.

Career Stats

•  2023 (Freshman) → 18 rec/ 24 tar (75.0%), 264 yards (14.7 avg/rec), 1 TD

•  2024 (Sophomore) → 52 rec/ 69 tar (75.4%), 733 yards (14.1 avg/rec), 4 TDs

•  2025 (Junior) → 51 rec/ 66 tar (77.3%), 875 yards (17.2 avg/rec), 9 TDs

•  Career Totals (3 Seasons) → 121 rec/ 159 tar (76.1%), 1,872 yards (15.5 avg/rec), 14 TDs

Advanced Stats (2025, PFF):

PFF OFF Grade → 88.6 (top-5 among 404 FBS WRs)

PFF RECV Grade → 89.0

•  Snaps Wide 89.9%/SLOT 10.1%

•  Yards After Catch → 231 (4.5 per reception/ 26% of total yardage)

• Missed Tackles Forced → 6 (0.12/rec)

• 12/14 contested catch (85.7%)

• Drops → 0 (0.0%)

• QB RTG → 151.8 (1st among qualified WRs)

Awards and Accolades

High School:

•  Leading receiver for IMG Academy (30 receptions, 777 yards, 8 TDs in 2022)

•  Five-star recruit

College:

•  First-Team All-Big Ten (2025)

•  Second-Team All-American (2025)

•  Big Ten Distinguished Scholar (2025)

•  Academic All-Big Ten (2024, 2025)

•  OSU Scholar-Athlete (2023, 2024, 2025)

•  Big Ten leaderboard ranks: 6th in receiving yards (875), 3rd in YPR (17.2), 6th in receiving TDs (9)

Character and Leadership

Tate earns praise for his maturity, work ethic, and emerging vocal leadership in Ohio State’s receiver room, stepping up as a junior to mentor younger talents like Jeremiah Smith. No off-field issues; scouts describe him as humble, team-first, and a positive influence who leads by example while growing into a more outspoken role. Coaches and teammates highlight his resilience, especially after personal tragedies like the loss of his mother, and his dedication to academics (multiple scholar awards).

Injuries

Tate missed three games in 2025 (vs. Purdue, UCLA, Rutgers) due to an undisclosed lower-body injury sustained midseason, described as a short-term issue. He returned fully healthy for the Michigan game and CFP, with no lingering effects reported. His frame has shown durability otherwise, with low career wear and full recovery expected pre-Combine.

Play Style

Tate excels as a polished boundary receiver with elite route-running nuance, sinking hips to create separation and tracking the ball like a pro. His ideal frame and contested-catch prowess make him a red-zone mismatch; reliable hands and attention to detail shine in intermediate/deep routes. He thrives in pro-style offenses stressing technique over raw speed; comps include Calvin Ridley (route savvy/separation) or George Pickens (contested catch/deep threat). YAC ability adds versatility, though not his primary strength.

Strengths

1.  Route-Running Precision — Advanced technician; creates separation with stems, hips, and detail.

2.  Contested Catch Ability — 85.7% rate; strong hands, body control, and radius in traffic.

3.  Ball Tracking/Hands — Soft, reliable mitts; 0% drop rate in 2025, elite adjustments.

4.  Football IQ/Leadership — High awareness; emerging vocal leader with academic discipline.

5.  Big-Play Reliability — 17.2 YPR career, 3.03 YPRR; consistent chain-mover with TD upside.

Weaknesses

1.  Top-End Speed — Adequate but not elite (sub-4.5 projection); limits pure deep-threat role.

2.  Physical Strength — 191 lbs; could add mass for better play strength vs. press coverage.

3.  YAC Elusiveness — Solid but not dynamic; relies more on routes than post-catch creativity.

4.  Injury History — Minor lower-body issue in 2025; monitor for durability in bell-cow roles.

5.  Slot Versatility — Primarily boundary (88.9% wide rate); limited inside experience.

Final Evaluation

Carnell Tate emerges as the consensus WR1 and a blue-chip prospect in the 2026 class, combining polished route-running, reliable hands, and production into a potential WR1 starter. Cross-referencing PFN, PFF, and NFL Draft Buzz highlights his separation skills, ball security, and contested dominance as separators, with speed as the primary developmental area. In an NFL valuing nuanced receivers (Ridley, Pickens, Amon-Ra St. Brown), Tate boasts Pro Bowl upside and merits top-10 consideration—potentially the highest-drafted Buckeye WR since Marvin Harrison Jr. He projects as an instant contributor capable of elevating passing attacks and delivering long-term WR1 impact.

Sources

•  Pro Football Network (2025 scouting reports, draft projections)

•  PFF (2025 grades, mock drafts, player analysis)

•  NFL Draft Buzz (full profile/scouting report)

•  ESPN (stats, awards, rankings)

•  NFL.com (declaration/projection coverage)

•  Sports-Reference (career stats compilation)

•  Ohio State Athletics/Wikipedia (bio, accolades)