Ohio State’s fastest-rising playmaker in 2026 NFL mock drafts immediately shows scouts why he’ll be a star in Texas win
Some eyebrows surely raised when Carnell Tate was the first wide receiver off the board in our latest 2026 NFL mock draft. But Tate was not only just a first-rounder, but the seventh overall pick. The Las Vegas Raiders snatched him up, reuniting Tate with former Ohio State and current Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. […]
Some eyebrows surely raised when Carnell Tate was the first wide receiver off the board in our latest 2026 NFL mock draft. But Tate was not only just a first-rounder, but the seventh overall pick. The Las Vegas Raiders snatched him up, reuniting Tate with former Ohio State and current Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.
Projecting Tate that high in the 2026 NFL Draft is a bit of a leap of faith. Obviously behind Jeremiah Smith in the Buckeyes’ offensive pecking order, Tate is also coming off a year where Emeka Egbuka was the secondary target. It’s rare to go from WR3 to a top-10 NFL pick.
But the Buckeyes’ offense is built differently. And in Week 1 against Texas, Tate showed why he might not be a high-volume option every week, but he has the game-breaking ability to win a matchup. He scored the difference-making touchdown against Texas on this 50/50 ball.
Tate led the Buckeyes with 49 yards on two catches as both offenses slogged in the 14-7 showdown. His 40-yard score showed off excellent acceleration into the open field, physicality at the catch point, ball tracking, timing, and focus.
It showed off why our Rob Gregson wrote this about Tate in his mock:
“The Raiders passed on a WR in April to draft Ashton Jeanty. They just brought back Amari Cooper, and their top option, Jakobi Meyers, wants a trade. Tate may not be Jeremiah Smith, but he’s still an excellent prospect and could be the first WR off the board.”
Linebacker Sonny Styles was the other first-round pick from Ohio State in the one-round mock.
