LSU has long held the belt as “Wide Receiver U,” but Ohio State has made a push in recent years to take it away. The Buckeyes have produced several high-profile wideouts, including Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who helped lead the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl LX title and just became the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history. Ohio State has also sent the likes of Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Terry McLaurin, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka to the league in recent years.
Could Carnell Tate be the latest OSU pass catcher to take the NFL by storm?
He’s earmarked to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh later this spring and could very well be the first wideout off the board. In fact, CBS Sports Senior NFL analyst Pete Prisco has Tate as the first receiver selected, landing with the Cleveland Browns at No. 6 overall in his opening mock draft. CBS Sports’ Mike Renner also slots Tate inside the top 10 as the No. 1 receiver, projecting him to the New Orleans Saints at No. 8 overall in his post-free agency mock draft.
The 21-year-old Tate is an enticing prospect who could prove to be a stellar downfield threat at the NFL level, and his route-running ability could help him quickly ascend to stardom. He has good size, standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 195 pounds. For the Buckeyes last season, Tate averaged 17.2 yards per reception, hauling in 51 catches for 875 yards and nine touchdowns.
The question surrounding Tate is where he’ll end up. With Ohio State conducting its Pro Day on Wednesday and giving Tate an opportunity to state his case as a potential top-10 pick, let’s dive into a handful of landing spots that could make sense for the Buckeyes pass catcher.
New York Giants (No. 5)
The Giants are stepping into a new era in 2026. After landing Jaxson Dart as their QB of the future last year, the team has since hired John Harbaugh as its head coach, and the future looks bright. That said, the offense could use more weapons around Dart, especially with fellow wideout Malik Nabers recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in Week 4 and running back Cam Skattebo suffering a season-ending ankle injury in Week 8.
It remains to be seen if those two young playmakers will be ready for the start of the 2026 campaign, so an addition like Tate makes sense to provide immediate help for Dart as he begins his sophomore season. Once Nabers and Skattebo return to full strength, New York would suddenly have a dynamic young core at the skill positions with Tate in the fold.
The Giants also lost Wan’Dale Robinson to the Tennessee Titans in free agency, further creating a need at the position despite the addition of veteran Darnell Mooney.
Cleveland Browns (No. 6)
The Browns still have major questions at quarterback, but there isn’t a viable option for them to take at No. 6 overall. Instead, they should continue building around the position and ride the momentum they found in the 2025 draft. There, they brought in the likes of running backs Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson, along with tight end Harold Fannin Jr., who led the team with 731 receiving yards last season.
This time around, adding a playmaker like Tate would give Cleveland a much-needed boost at receiver. Currently, the room consists of Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman and Isaiah Bond. Jeudy was second on the team with 602 receiving yards, while Bond was third with 338. Whether it’s Shedeur Sanders or someone else under center, bringing in a playmaker like Tate would help Todd Monken’s offense get off the ground in 2026.
Washington Commanders (No. 7)
The 2026 season was a disaster for Washington. After reaching the NFC Championship Game in Jayden Daniels’ rookie season, his second year saw him limited to seven games due to injury, and the defense regressed into one of the league’s worst units.
While there’s an argument to add on the defensive side after surrendering a league-worst 384.0 yards per game, Washington also needs more weapons around Daniels. Deebo Samuel is unlikely to return as he remains on the free agent market, leaving Terry McLaurin as the top option alongside Luke McCaffrey. Even veteran tight end Zach Ertz, 35, remains unsigned, so there’s a clear need to get younger and more dynamic at pass catcher. Selecting Tate inside the top 10 would accomplish both.
Kansas City Chiefs (No. 9)
It may not happen this offseason, but Travis Kelce will retire at some point, meaning the Chiefs need to begin transitioning Patrick Mahomes’ offense into its next era. Through the first half of Mahomes’ career, Kelce has been the linchpin and go-to target. The team has added players like Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice in recent seasons, but neither has emerged as a dependable top option, and Rice is entering the final year of his rookie deal in 2026. K.C. would be best served to keep searching for Mahomes’ next elite weapon, and that could very well be Tate.
Los Angeles Rams (No. 13)
You might look at the Rams and think wide receiver is one of the last positions they’d target in the first round, but don’t be fooled — this is a sneaky need. While Puka Nacua is arguably among the NFL’s best receivers, Davante Adams is entering his age-33 season and the final year of his contract.
Tate could be a strong addition to an already potent L.A. offense in 2026 and then step into a larger role in 2027 if and when Adams and the team part ways. This is somewhat similar to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — who had Mike Evans and Chris Godwin — drafting Emeka Egbuka last offseason.
Using this pick on offense became even more likely after L.A. traded the No. 29 overall pick to the Chiefs for cornerback Trent McDuffie and added corner Jaylen Watson in free agency, addressing arguably the team’s biggest need.
