Carnell Tate makes decision on Ohio State future amid transfer rumors

Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate has made his decision clear, and he intends to stay with the Buckeyes going forward.

Carnell Tate isn't going anywhere, despite some rumors that he might entertain a transfer away from Ohio State. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Ohio State is undergoing plenty of change on the offensive side of the ball heading into the 2025 football season, but college football’s national champions will have Carnell Tate on the field.

The wide receiver announced that he intends to play with Ohio State this fall.

Two quick notes from talking with Carnell Tate:

- He's excited for Brian Hartline to take over the offense

- He doesn't know where the idea he was leaving started... "I bleed Ohio State"

It feels like Tate is one of the most underrated receivers going into next season: pic.twitter.com/8HLxKMlXnm

— Adam King (@AdamKing10TV) February 24, 2025

“The plan was never for me to leave,” Tate told WBNS 10TV in Columbus. “I don’t know where that came from, where that started. I bleed Ohio State.”

Right after the Buckeyes hoisted the national title trophy, rumors started circulating that Tate was considering a transfer away from the program for the 2025 campaign.

That speculation included claims that Tate was being offered some major NIL money to dump the Buckeyes and become a No. 1 wide receiver at another school.

Tate was Will Howard’s third option this past season, finishing with the third-most snaps of any wide receiver on the team during his sophomore effort.

He emerged as a more productive weapon in the Buckeyes’ offense in 2024, catching 52 passes for 733 yards and scoring 4 touchdowns.

And while most of the attention went to freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith or veteran Emeka Egbuka, it was Tate who was able to help push the Ohio State offense when both were covered.

That became apparent when he finished with a career-best 7 catches for 87 yards during the College Football Playoff semifinal victory against Texas.

Tate also expressed confidence in Brian Hartline, the Ohio State wide receivers coach last season who was promoted to the offensive coordinator role after Chip Kelly’s departure to the NFL.

“I’m excited for my guy,” he said. “I see the work day-in and day-out, everything he’s put into the program. So I’m excited for him to finally take the keys.”

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