Ohio State star wide receiver Carnell Tate declares for NFL draft

Story by

Joey Kaufman, Columbus Dispatch

Wed, Jan 7, 2026 ·

2 min read

Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate is leaving school early for the NFL, he announced on Jan. 6.

Tate has another year of eligibility left but projects as a potential first-round selection in the league’s draft next spring.

“I’m proud of everything I've accomplished at Ohio State and will carry the lessons, relationships, and memories from this program with me forever,” Tate wrote in a graphic posted to Instagram and X.

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate (17) runs after a catch during the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas for the College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against the Miami Hurricanes on Dec. 31, 2025. Ohio State lost 24-14.

He was the first among the Buckeyes ' draft-eligible underclassmen to make a declaration. They have until Jan. 14 to file for early entry.

Tate had a breakout season in 2025 opposite Jeremiah Smith and put himself on pace to finish with 1,000 receiving yards before an unspecified injury sidelined him for three consecutive games during the last month of the regular season.

Tate would return at Michigan and caught a touchdown bomb during the third quarter of the win to help snap the Buckeyes' four-game skid against their bitter rival.

He finished with 51 receptions for 875 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior and was a frequent big-play target for redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Sayin.

Only three receivers in the Football Bowl Subdivision caught more passes that gained 40 or more yards than Tate.

Tate combined his speed to stretch defenses vertically with sure-handedness. According to Pro Football Focus, he did not drop a pass this past season and posted a catch rate of 77.6% that was tied for the ninth highest among FBS receivers with as many targets.

It was his second season as a starter for the Buckeyes as Tate previously complemented Smith and Emeka Egbuka during their national championship run a year ago. He finished with 52 catches for 733 yards and four touchdowns in 2024.

If Tate lands in the first round as expected in April, he’d become Ohio State’s sixth receiver in five years to fall among the first 32 picks.

Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow along on Bluesky , Instagram and X for more.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State star wide receiver Carnell Tate declares for NFL draft