Unless something really crazy happens, Carnell Tate will be taken in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The former Ohio State Buckeye is considered one of the top wide receiver prospects this year. He’d be a great fit with a team like the New Orleans Saints or Cleveland Browns. But don’t forget about the Washington Commanders.
Recently, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. made his predictions for the first two rounds of the draft. He believes the Commanders will select Tate seventh overall:
“7. Washington Commanders – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
The Commanders need defensive help, and Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. would have to get a look. But they also have their pick of the receiver class. Tate is currently my No. 2 receiver behind Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson, but he’s atop a lot of receiver boards around the league and doesn’t come with the same injury questions Tyson does. Paired with another Ohio State product in Terry McLaurin, Tate would bring clean route running, reliability and some big-play ability.”
Again, Carnell Tate is one the best wide receivers in the 2026 draft class. He’d be an excellent pickup for the Commanders, who struggled mightily in 2025.
Commanders Predicted to Draft Ohio State Wide Receiver Carnell Tate
His Career Thus Far
Coming out of high school, Carnell Tate was a five-star recruit and ranked as the No. 22 prospect in the nation. Impressively, he received 37 scholarships from schools such as Ohio State, Alabama, LSU, and Tennessee. He ultimately committed to Ohio State.
Tate finished his freshman year with 18 receptions for 264 yards and a touchdown. His freshman stats were better than frosh year totals of other Ohio State legends like Marvin Harrison Jr. (11 in 2021), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (10 in 2020), and Emeka Egbuka (zero in 2021).
During the 2024 season, Tate started all 15 games, recording 52 receptions for 733 yards and four touchdowns. He also helped lead the Buckeyes to a national championship, beating Notre Dame 34-23 in the title game.
Tate caught 51 passes for 875 yards and nine touchdowns this past season. Ohio State made the College Football Playoff, but lost to Miami in the quarterfinals.
Does Carnell Tate Make Sense?
The Commanders shocked the world during the 2024 campaign. Led by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, they made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game, where they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Following such a successful season, the Commanders were expected to be one of the NFL’s top teams in 2025. But that didn’t quite happen. Daniels played in only seven games due to injury while the team finished with a horrific 5-12 record.
Daniels, of course, could bounce back in 2026 if he stays healthy. The former Heisman winner will need to be surrounded by as much talent as possible.
Carnell Tate, who averaged 17.2 yards per catch last season, could certainly emerge as an offensive weapon for Daniels. At 6-foot 2 ¾ inches with 31 ¾ inch arms, Tate has the ideal length for the wide receiver position. Perhaps the words savvy, competitive, and versatile are the best adjectives to describe him. And as Kiper noted, Tate could team with fellow Ohio State product Terry McLaurin to form a great receiver duo. Yes, Carnell Tate makes a ton of sense for Washington.
