Here's what Carnell Tate's NFL Draft declaration means for Ohio State

No matter how the Ohio State Buckeyes were going to end the season with their playoff loss to the Miami Hurricanes, they were expecting players to bolt for the NFL Draft if they had a chance to be a high draft pick.

One of those players is the first to make it happen, with ESPN's Pete Thamel reporting that Buckeyes star wide receiver Carnell Tate will be declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Tate is projected to be a top 10 pick in the draft after having another stellar season for the Buckeyes.

Sources: Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate is leaving school early and declaring for the NFL Draft, where he’s projected as a Top 10 overall pick in Mel Kiper’s latest rankings. Tate caught 51 passes for 875 yards and nine touchdowns for the Buckeyes this year. pic.twitter.com/DvMqiLp2dD
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 7, 2026

After being more of a reserve player in his freshman season, Tate has been a top two to three receiver on the team over the last two years, as he put up 733 yards in 2024 and 875 yards in 2025. He also had nine touchdowns this season as he finished second on the team in receptions, yards, and touchdowns behind Jeremiah Smith.

What's this mean for Ohio State?

With Smith being more of the possession receiver and the all-around talent as the number one receiver for Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin, Tate was more of the big play player for the Buckeyes' offense. Tate averaged 17.2 yards per reception this season, with him making big plays time and time again, while Smith got all the attention.

NFL teams shouldn't sleep on Tate being able to make a massive impact on the offense, as he stands at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds and can compete with any cornerback. He has all the skill sets that make Smith one of the best in the nation, but Tate got overshadowed by Smith.

Tate should be expected to be a first-round pick and even a top-10 pick based not only on what he has done on the field, but also on the fact that Buckeye receivers are very popular picks in the NFL. Guys like Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Emeka Egbuka have had recent success in the league from Ohio State, so that will bode well for Tate.

This will leave the Buckeyes with Smith remaining as the number one receiver on the roster for 2026. Watch out for Brandon Inniss to move up as the number two receiver in place of Tate, as he showed flashes of being able to make some plays. Ohio State could also look in the transfer portal to find Tate's replacement.

The news of Tate is not a total surprise, but it is still tough to hear for the Buckeyes as they look to get the roster back on track to be a national champion contender in 2026.