Ohio State landed a long-awaited commit on Monday afternoon when Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy five-star wide receiver Carnell Tate pledged his services to the Buckeyes over finalists LSU, Notre Dame and Tennessee.
The 6-foot-2 and 185-pound Tate, who is considered the third-best wide receiver and No. 28 prospect overall in the class of 2023, has been to campus half a dozen times since he landed an offer from the Buckeyes in April 2021.
That includes a pair of game day visits last fall and a practice this spring alongside his teammates on the South Florida Express 7-on-7 team, which notably features five-star wide receiver target Brandon Inniss, four-star running back commit Mark Fletcher and four-star safety pledge Cedrick Hawkins, among others.
Those visits have allowed Tate to build a strong relationship with head coach Ryan Day, wide receivers coach Brian Hartline — who just last month made a trip to Florida to see him play in the Ascenders’ spring game — and offensive quality control coach Keenan Bailey.
Tate, who hails from Chicago and grew up rooting for Ohio State, was originally supposed to make his college decision last October. He held off, though, which allowed the Volunteers to make a significant move in his recruitment in recent months.
There was a strong belief that Tennessee’s name, image and likeness opportunities and Tate’s bond with five-star quarterback commit Nico Iamaleava were going to swing things in the Volunteers’ favor. However, Hartline’s track record for developing elite wide receivers ultimately helped the Buckeyes win out.
Tate now becomes the 11th member of Ohio State’s 2023 recruiting class, joining Zephyrhills (Fla.) Wiregrass Ranch four-star wide receiver Bryson Rodgers. The staff hopes to finish out the class with two more players this cycle in Inniss and Rolesville, N.C., four-star Noah Rogers.
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