Tate had a strong second half of 2024, and is poised for a bigger role in 2025.
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Carnell Tate is going to rocket up NFL Draft boards this season. He’s ready for a substantially bigger role in the Buckeyes’ offense, and he’s poised to put up huge numbers with his increased role.
In 2024, the Chicago native hauled in 52 receptions for 733 yards and four touchdowns. Of those 52 receptions, 31 came in the Buckeyes last eight games, including the four games in the College Football Playoff.
That momentum is palpable going into the 2025 season, where Tate will be Ohio State’s WR2 on the field. With Emeka Egbuka now in the NFL, Tate will slide into his role and have the opportunity to post numbers similar to, if not better than, Egbuka.
Tate had at least 50 yards receiving in a game nine times in 2024 . That’s really good, considering he was playing behind Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith. It’s a sign that the third-year receiver can up his receiving yardage to 1,000 yards this season.
The Buckeyes are guaranteed 12 games this season. If Tate is going to eclipse 1,000 yards, he needs to average 83.3 yards per game. As the No. 2 wide receiver on this team, that’s very doable. Considering Smith is going to get all the attention from opposing defenses, Tate will have ample target opportunities to best his 45.8 receiving yards per game from a year ago.
Last year, as Ohio State’s No. 2 wide receiver, Egbuka had 81 receptions for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns. There’s no reason Tate can’t have that kind of season in 2025.
The talent and work ethic are there for Tate. He’s come a long way through his first three seasons with the Buckeyes, a program known for developing elite wide receiver talent. Even with Smith as the best offensive player in the country, Tate will have his chances to prove he is an elite wide receiver in his own right.
Are there a lot of mouths to feed on this offense? Yes. However, that doesn’t mean Tate can’t reach these lofty expectations.
Ohio State is going to play at least 14 or 15 games this season, and the Buckeyes can very easily play 16 or 17 games en route to playing for a national championship. If Tate is on the field in that many games, he will smash 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns.
This season could produce Ohio State’s deepest receiving corps in years. Tate will be near the top of Ohio State’s treasure trove of pass-catching talent, behind only Smith. As long as Julian Sayin is as good as Buckeyes fans are hoping he is, Tate will have a huge third season and earn himself a spot atop NFL Draft boards as the Buckeyes chase a repeat title.