Ohio State’s top receiver prospect, Carnell Tate, made his case Wednesday in front of over 150 personnel as all 32 NFL teams were represented for the Buckeyes’ Pro Day.
COLUMBUS – Carnell Tate had one message for everyone obsessing over a number. It’s not a concern for him, and he says it shouldn’t be for anyone else either.
The projected top-10 pick in next month’s NFL Draft declined to re-run the 40-yard dash at Ohio State’s Pro Day on Wednesday, opting instead to let his football talent speak. He ran routes and caught precise passes from Julian Sayin. He looked, in Ryan Day’s words, “long and powerful, eating up ground on over routes, crisp with his hands, moving the way a first-round receiver is supposed to move.”
“I think I’m a great football player,” Tate said. “My speed – the combine is one time. But ultimately, I’m a great football player. When you put the pads on, it’s another level.”
The 40 conversation followed Tate out of Indianapolis last month after he posted a 4.53. It’s a number that raised eyebrows given his projection as a potential top-10 pick and the No. 7 player on Mel Kiper’s Big Board. But Tate’s counterargument was delivered with the quiet confidence of someone who knows exactly what he is.
“I definitely think it can be overvalued,” he said. “Like, Puka [Nacua] and Jaxon [Smith-Njigba] – they probably didn’t run the fastest of times, but they’re the two best receivers in the league right now. It just depends on who’s looking at it.”
NFL-Ready Prospect
It’s a fair point as Tate is considered close to an NFL-ready prospect who should contribute as a rookie. He has the potential to become one of the league’s better receivers once he refines advanced route-running techniques. However, his calling card has never been raw speed. It’s his body control, catch radius, and the ability to adjust to anything thrown his way.
No teams have questioned him about his speed, Tate said, which is why he made the call to skip the re-run and focus only on position drills.
Wednesday wasn’t just about Tate, though. Ohio State’s Pro Day featured 17 draft-eligible players, including four prospects ranked in the top 10 of Mel Kiper’s Big Board: Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs, and Tate. All 32 NFL teams were expected in Columbus, and the attendance report was perfect, with each organization represented. Though the Saints and Browns sent large contingents.
For Tate, watching his teammates prepare for the same stage made the moment feel bigger than any individual workout. “We’re all happy for each other,” he said. “We always talked about this – when we were professionals, you’d come and want to go to the first round. To be able to do that, and do it with a group of guys – we all were rooting for each other.”
That group will likely hear their names called on the same night. Tate is in line to become the sixth Ohio State receiver since 2022 to be drafted in the first round. The list reads Wilson, Olave, Smith-Njigba, Harrison, Egbuka, and is a program-defining run. Tate is the next name in line, and he plans to be in Pittsburgh for all of it. “Me and my family decided that’s a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Tate said. “Why not go?”
Upcoming Visits
Before Pittsburgh, there’s work to do on the road, meeting with several organizations. Tate rattled off a visit list of teams in need of a No. 1 receiver: Tennessee, New Orleans, Washington, New York Giants, and Kansas City.
The Giants are stepping into a new era with Jaxson Dart under center and John Harbaugh on the sideline, and the offense needs weapons. Kansas City, meanwhile, is looking toward succession planning for when Travis Kelce retires and searching for Mahomes’ next elite weapon. Carnell Tate would fit in any of those WR rooms and elevate those offenses.
“Carnell Tate: Homerun Hitter” 🙌 pic.twitter.com/QVfgeMjau0
— Blake T. Biscardi (@BlakeBiscardi) March 25, 2026
He doesn’t know where he’ll land. He said as much, with a smile, but he knows what he can control. “You can’t control who picks you,” Tate said. “You can control how you run routes and how you catch the ball.” He caught the ball well and ran crisp routes on Wednesday, solidifying his case as the No. 1 wide receiver in the NFL Draft.
NEXT: Read why Brandon Inniss is confident in the 2026 Ohio State Buckeyes.
Blake Biscardi is the Lead Sports Reporter and Senior Editor at The Silver Bulletin, focusing on Ohio State athletics, primarily football, the Big Ten, and the College Football Playoff. He’s the Creator & Host of the Buckeye Cadence and Saturday Cadence podcasts, and also a member of the FWAA. Biscardi has degrees in Business Administration and Strategic Communication & Leadership.