Ohio State superstar Carnell Tate is a first-round lock on most people’s draft boards. The wide receiver impressed scouts last season and had the chance to do so again at the NFL Combine. With the college tape and Combine numbers locked in, only draft day will tell where the junior will end up.
Who does the receiver compare to among historical prospects?
Ohio State’s Carnell Tate Doesn’t Physically Match the Profile of Typical WR Stars
Tate is a true specimen in his draft class. Standing at 6’2″ and weighing 192 pounds, he has 10.25″ hands and an armspan of 31.75″.
5) Bashir Yamini — Iowa
Wideout Bashir Yamini didn’t shine in college, as he couldn’t even log a single 400-yard campaign in his two years at Iowa. Nonetheless, the Denver Broncos’ brass signed him to the practice squad as an undrafted free agent.
He went on to carve out a path in the NFL, seeing brief stints with the Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, and Carolina Panthers. However, he never got his footing in the league and was out by 2004.
4) Chad Hansen — California
Chad Hansen capitalized on high draft stock to get into the NFL. After spending a mere two seasons at Cal, his stellar 2016 campaign, which included 1,249 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns, prompted him to declare for the 2017 draft.
But his draft stock ended up being among his greatest NFL highlights, as he spent the next six years bouncing around eight teams, mostly on practice squads.
3) Kevin Norwood — Alabama
Wideout Kevin Norwood committed to Nick Saban’s Alabama for four years (2010 -2013), winning titles in a backup role. His consistency made him a fourth-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in 2014, but it never translated into any major success in the pros. Time with the Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, San Diego Chargers, and New York Giants is all it ever amounted to.
2) Rashaun Woods — Oklahoma State
Wide receiver Rashaun Woods was one of the hottest prospects at his position entering the 2004 NFL Draft. He had spent four years in Oklahoma, mostly under Les Miles, building one of the most impressive Big 12 resumes of his generation.
After a humble start in his freshman year, he made his mark in the conference with three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, which included 107 catches and 17 touchdowns in 2002.
He took it to the bank, declaring for the ’04 draft, and was selected in the first round by the San Francisco 49ers. However, none of his successes carried over to the NFL.
He caught seven balls in the league before a practice-squad run with the Chargers and Denver Broncos, followed by a one-year stint in Europe and Canada — one of the most overlooked busts in NFL history.
1) Jalen McMillan — Washington
Tampa Bay Buccaneers youngster Jalen McMillan is another close resemblance to Tate. After a solid rookie campaign in 2024 (71.4 PFSN WR Impact, which included 8 receiving touchdowns, a neck injury kept him sidelined for most of the 2025 season.
McMillan is thought to be a part of Tampa’s long-term plans; however, his health will play a key role in that idea panning out.
It’ll be interesting to see whose career path Tate ends up shadowing the most.
