The Ohio State Buckeyes have had a lot of talented wide receivers over the years to be drafted in the first-round of the NFL Draft. In 2025, Emeka Egbuka was drafted 19th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
With Egbuka gone, there will need to be another Buckeyes wide receiver who can emerge into a first-round pick for 2026. With Jeremiah Smith not eligible until 2027, Carnell Tate is looking to be another Ohio State wide receiver who gets drafted into the first-round. Tate has a chance to be a breakout candidate as well for the Buckeyes offense for Brian Hartline and head coach Ryan Day in 2025.
CBS Sports Projects Ohio State Buckeyes Wide Receiver Carnell Tate As a First-Round Pick In 2026
There have not been many signs yet for Tate for being a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but CBS Sports Josh Edwards thinks that he could be a first-round selection in 2026. In the way too early 2026 NFL Mock Draft, he has the Dallas Cowboys 14th overall drafting the future Buckeyes star wide receiver. Edwards said,
“Tate is the token Ohio State wide receiver in the first round. Will he follow in the footsteps of Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Terry McLaurin, Emeka Egbuka, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and others before him? Tate is far from a given, but one to watch in what may be another thin wide receiver group.”
Marvin Harrison Jr. was the fourth overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Buckeyes have produced so much talent at the wide receiver position into the NFL. They have a very good track record of it and this is probably one of the reasons why Edwards has Tate eventually being a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
During the 2024 season with Ohio State, he caught 52 passes for 733 yards receiving and four touchdowns, along with averaging 14.1 yards per reception. His longest reception was 40 yards last season and also had six yards rushing. He is 6’3″ and weighs 191 lbs.
Tate will have to prove to be the second wide receiver to Smith in 2025 and he has a chance to go over 1,000 yards receiving. He has to make a case to be another Ohio State to be selected in the first-round of the 2026 NFL Draft also.
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