🏈 Who Will Draft Carnell Tate? 2026 NFL Draft Projection, Scouting Report & Team Prediction

As Ohio State looks to add to its claim of being "wide receiver U," the Buckeyes are projected to have their sixth wide receiver selected in the first round since 2022, but who will draft Carnell Tate?

The Cleveland Browns (No. 6) and New York Jets (No. 2 & No. 16) are the biggest favorites to select Tate, according to prediction market apps. The consensus No. 1 wide receiver in the 2026 NFL Draft, Tate is expected to be the second Ohio State pass catcher selected in the top 10 in the last three drafts.

I've spent the past year watching film and grading every top prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft. Below, I break down Tate's draft profile, including his biggest strengths and weaknesses; my full scouting report and draft grade on Tate; and which team I expect to draft the former Buckeyes star in the first round on Thursday, April 23, as part of our 2026 NFL Draft predictions. 

📝 Carnell Tate draft profile

For more on the NFL draft, check out the 2026 NFL Draft odds.

Carnell Tate strengths

Although Tate isn't the fastest or most physically imposing wide receiver prospect, he's one of the smoothest in recent memory. The former five-star recruit is a fluid route runner who has no problem sinking his hips to get in and out of breaks, and he understands how to weaponize his stem to win leverage.

When the ball is in the air, Tate is at his best. He has an extra gear to create space from defensive backs, which helped him finish No. 6 in the Power Four in yards per route run (3.02), and his elite ball-tracking skills are really his most impressive trait. Whether he looks open or not, Tate tends to come down with the football. 

With massive hands that are in the 94th percentile (10 1/4"), Tate had just a 2.8% drop rate as a starter the past two seasons for Ohio State (zero drops in 2025-26) and was the only player in the country who had double-digit contested targets and a contested catch rate of 85% or better.

Carnell Tate weaknesses

Between his lean frame and a subpar 40 time, there's reason to believe Tate doesn't have All-Pro upside. Not many wide receivers who weigh under 195 pounds and run slower than 4.5 end up going in the top 10, even if Tate's faster than what the stopwatch says.

Tate's slender build and lack of twitch make him an average-at-best player with the ball in his hands, and that absence of YAC ability certainly impacts his ceiling. His physical tools align more with those of a high-end No. 2 or low-end No. 1 wide receiver.

While not technically a weakness, and to no fault of his own, Tate saw more single coverage than pretty much any of the top wide receivers in the 2026 NFL Draft class. That's because he played across from All-American Jeremiah Smith, a likely top-three pick in 2027.

Carnell Tate scouting report

One of the many blue-chip wide receiver recruits to play at Ohio State during Ryan Day's tenure as bench boss, Tate didn't reach the same heights as some of the past Buckeyes' star pass catchers.

However, in his two seasons as a starter, he was one of the most consistent big-play threats in the country, often producing while sharing targets with last year's first-round Ohio State wide receiver, Emeka Egbuka, and next year's, Smith.

Despite not being the go-to receiver during his time at Ohio State, Tate managed to rack up 103 receptions for 1,608 yards and 13 touchdowns over the past two seasons while dominating 50/50 balls (75% contested catch rate since 2024).

He's a plug-and-play Z-receiver on the outside in the NFL, with elite ball skills, underrated route running ability, and consistent speed through his routes that make up for his average top speed. 

While Tate's ceiling might not be that of a top-10 wide receiver in the NFL, his proficiency downfield (he averaged 32.5 yards per touchdown this past season) will inject flashiness into an offense that needs an outside threat who can win contested catches and separate on intermediate and deep routes.

Carnell Tate draft grade

• 7.25 (mid-1st round)

🔮 Who will draft Carnell Tate?

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Carnell Tate draft projection & landing spots

With this being a weaker draft class, it's hard to imagine Tate slipping out of the top 10, especially with several wide receiver-needy teams picking between No. 4 and No. 9. 

Though this wide receiver class is deep, Tate is the clear cream of the crop as the best big-play threat with the fewest questions as a prospect. As such, the Cleveland Browns are the favorite to keep him in-state (27% chance) as a team in desperate need of wide receiver help.

While Cleveland makes plenty of sense as a fit at No. 6, the Browns are also rumored to be looking to trade back, and if they stick and pick, they may choose to focus on building the offensive line if Miami's Francis Mauigoa is still on the board.

The New York Jets (12% chance) are a bit surprising to see as the second-biggest favorite, given they're not taking Tate at No. 2, and he'll almost certainly be gone by No. 16. That means a trade back or up would need to happen, and that's a tough thing to forecast.

A team like the New Orleans Saints (8% chance) should be much higher for several reasons, which is why that's where I'm starting to think Tate lands.

Prediction: Carnell Tate to the Saints

New Orleans is a perfect landing spot for Tate, who could continue thriving as a No. 2 option across from former Ohio State star Chris Olave. The addition of Tate wouldn't just help pull coverage away from Olave; it would give second-year QB Tyler Shough a downfield threat with elite ball skills.

As the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive coordinator, Kellen Moore helped DeVonta Smith put up a career-high eight touchdowns in 2024, and Tate's like a bigger version of Smith. It also doesn't hurt that Saints GM Mickey Loomis seems to love drafting Ohio State players.

Since taking over as GM in 2002, Loomis has drafted 10 Buckeyes, including four in the first-round, and currently has three on his roster (Olave, Chase Young, Pete Werner).