Carnell Tate — 2026 NFL Mock Draft Roundup 1.0

Could we call this a mock draft without including an Ohio State wide receiver? Of course, Jeremiah Smith gets the bulk of the attention and would be the slam-dunk WR1 if he were eligible in 2026, but Tate is currently my bet to be the WR1 in the 2026 draft class. The lanky wideout's route-running ability, catch radius and strong hands would be a welcome addition to Cleveland's below-average wide receiving corps.

Tate is the token Ohio State wide receiver in the first round. Will he follow in the footsteps of Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Terry McLaurin, Emeka Egbuka, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and others before him? Tate is far from a given, but one to watch in what may be another thin wide receiver group.

Tate is next in line out of Ohio State's wide receiver factory and would be a good addition for Denver to help quarterback Bo Nix. He is a smooth, efficient-moving receiver who had 52 receptions for 733 yards and 4 touchdowns last season as the Buckeyes' WR3. With Emeka Egbuka off to the NFL, Tate has a chance to step up his production and further show his dependability as a pass catcher and route runner.

The Rams need a succession plan to rapidly-aging Davante Adams and Tate (6-3, 191 pounds) is a prototype X receiver poised to breakout as the WR2 for the National Champion Buckeyes.

OSU has been a factory when it comes to producing first-round picks at wide receiver and Tate could well be next. He has great size in a year where there are a ton of options better suited to the slot and he has a chance to really elevate his game as defenses gear up to stop teammate Jeremiah Smith in 2025.

The 2027 draft class should include an epic group of wide receivers, but the 2026 class of pass catchers is a tad underwhelming at this point in the process. Of course, the Buckeyes have another first-round receiver in the pipeline, though — Tate could be Ohio State's sixth first-round receiver in the last five years.

Ohio State's track record for producing high-caliber NFL wide receivers seemingly knows no bounds. Tate will be overshadowed this year by Jeremiah Smith (who isn't eligible for the NFL until 2027), but he's an intriguing talent in his own right, showing soft hands and a galloping grace to attack deep and across the middle.