Ohio State Buckeyes Receiver Getting Early NFL Draft Buzz for 2026

The Ohio State Buckeyes have a reputation to uphold at the wide receiver position. Few teams can match the reigning national champs when it comes to producing NFL talent.

While he’ll attract the bulk of the headlines, Jeremiah Smith isn’t draft-eligible until 2027. But that doesn’t mean junior wide out Carnell Tate won’t command attention in next year’s class.

Pro Football Focus highlighted a handful of talented players in the 2026 NFL Draft class who will enjoy a boost to their stock after returning to school. Tate wasn’t draft eligible in 2025, mind you, but building on a strong campaign last year could put him near the top of the pack for next year’s class.

In 2024, Tate hauled in 52 receptions for 773 yards and four scores. Statistically, Emeka Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith dwarfed his numbers, but Tate was still comfortably third on the team in each statistic. With Egbuka in the NFL, Tate has a real opportunity to shine while teams try to slow down Smith, who’s an early favorite to win the Heisman Trophy.

Tate has already proven to have a strength in creating separation from opposing defensive backs. Considering most defenses will be keyed in on Smith with their best coverage players, Tate should be in a position to build on that strength. According to PFF, Tate had a 69.2% separation rate against single coverage and an 86.6% separation rate against all coverages, which ranked among the top receivers in the country.

PFF’s 2026 Big Board (which is topped by Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs) places Tate as the No. 41 overall prospect in next year’s class. That’s good enough for the No. 6 wide receiver in what is shaping up to be one of the more shallow receiving classes of the past few years. But again, that’s just one more reason Tate, with a strong season, can skyrocket up the draft boards and potentially even become the next Buckeye wide receiver to hear his name called in the first round of the NFL Draft.