Ranking Ohio State's 2025 Playmakers: No. 3 - WR Carnell Tate

Carnell Tate is a junior wide receiver who is now in his second year as a starter for the Buckeyes. He finished third on the team last year in receptions, yards, and touchdown catches.

No. 3 – Carnell Tate – Junior Wide Receiver

Carnell Tate set the original program record when he lost his black stripe as a true freshman just five practices in to spring camp. Jeremiah Smith then did him one better last spring and lost his black stripe after just four practices.

Tate came to Ohio State as a 5-star wide receiver from IMG Academy, but he is originally from Chicago. He has always been a very mature player. Marvin Harrison, Jr. famously said of Tate that he was a year ahead of him in his development.

This is what Harrison said in fall camp of 2023 when Tate was a true freshman and Harrison was a junior.

“Carnell’s gonna be special, man, I think,” Harrison said. “Carnell’s probably at a better point right now than I was going into my sophomore year. So I mean, I think he’s amazing. He handles his business. He’s always in the right spot, catches the ball and runs great routes. So I’m excited to really see what his career looks like. I think he’ll be one of the best receivers to ever come to Ohio State.”

Tate’s 18 catches as a true freshman were seven more than Harrison as a true freshman (and six of Harrison’s 11 catches came in the Rose Bowl). The respective sophomore seasons for Tate and Harrison were much different, however. Due to Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s injury in 2022, Harrison became the Buckeyes’ main target. Tate didn’t have that kind of situation last year with returning starter Emeka Egbuka and once-in-a-lifetime Jeremiah Smith on hand.

Now with Egbuka gone, however, expect Tate to shine even brighter.

Statistical History

What He Does Well

Carnell Tate can line up where he is needed. He can be a possession receiver who keeps a drive alive, or he can line up in the slot looking for a matchup problem, or he can be the outside receiver that can run anything in the route tree. At 6-foot-2 and 190-some pounds, he has the size, length, and athleticism to match up with any kind of defensive back.

Tate had the same number of 30-yard receptions as Emeka Egbuka last year (5), but his long reception was “just” 40 yards. He had a 55-yarder as a freshman.

As essentially the third option last year, Tate hasn’t been featured enough to show everything that he can do, but his 14-yard-per-catch average despite no home runs tells you how effective and comfortable he is in the intermediate and underneath.

Carnell Tate In 2025

Carnell Tate will be the Buckeyes’ starting Z receiver this year. He will bring the necessary leadership and experience to the position room. This will also be his first true opportunity to be a featured part of the Ohio State offense.

There will be a defensive focus on teammate Jeremiah Smith, which should leave Tate in situations that can be attacked. Expect more big plays, but also expect the same consistent 15 yards a grab that he’s been over his first two seasons.

An explosive play in the passing game is considered by most to be anything 15 yards or over. That is basically where Carnell Tate lives. But now he’s also going to have the opportunity to branch out to a few new zip codes. He should be Ohio State’s next 1,000-yard receiver.

What They Are Saying

“I think he’s pulled guys aside and had one-on-one conversations with them.
He’s locked in to [the leadership]. I think he saw the impact that Emeka made and the role he played. And to think that you’re gonna lose that and then be a better group probably doesn’t mathematically make sense to him. So someone’s gotta set up in that role. And one, everyone respects him. Two, he knows he’s capable of it. And it’s just the desire and the appreciation, I think, to be at the older table now, the older head. He appreciated the way Emeka went about his business, and so he probably valued that, appreciated that, and he’s just making sure we still have that.” — Brian Hartline on Carnell Tate taking his leadership role seriously.

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