Over the past several seasons, nobody has produced NFL wide receivers quite like the Ohio State Buckeyes with Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Jaxon Smith-Njigba all going in the first round the past two drafts and Marvin Harrison Jr. set to be a likely top-three pick in this year’s draft. And there’s another young player who appears set to be the next great Buckeye receiver: Carnell Tate.
A five-star prospect rated as the No. 3 receiver and No. 22 overall player in the 2023 high school recruiting class, Carnell Tate did not play all that much this season, catching just 17 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown during his freshman season. But the fact that he was able to earn that much playing time in the first place speaks to just how talented he is.
“If you look at our progression, frankly, as a freshman, whether it be Chris or Jaxon (Smith-Njigba) or Garrett, he’s right in that mold, especially production-wise,” offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Brian Hartline said according to Eleven Warriors. “And Carnell came into a room that was very deep. And so to have four older guys there (Harrison, Egbuka, Fleming and Xavier Johnson) and then you’re still earning playing time because of your work.”
And it’s not just the coaching staff that he has impressed early in his career. Ohio State cornerback Denzel Burke, who would likely be at least a day-two pick in the NFL Draft if he decided to declare this season, claims that Tate will be a first-round pick by the time he’s ready to enter the draft.
“He’s gonna be the next first-rounder out of here, mark my words,” Burke said. “He’s a great player. He’s a pro on and off the field. I kind of see a little bit of him in me when I was a freshman coming in, how focused he was and how much this game means to him.”
With Harrison likely opting out of this week’s Cotton Bowl and former starting receiver Julian Fleming transferring from the program, Tate will likely have a much more prominent role in the team’s offense in the bowl game. We’ll have to see how he handles it.
