Watch Carnell Tate's Top Highlights With Julian Sayin at Ohio State Pro Day Amid NFL Draft Rumors

After all of the debate about his 40 time at the NFL scouting combine, Carnell Tate got the chance to show off his receiving skills in front of scouts on Wednesday at Ohio State's pro day.

The Buckeyes star put on a strong display in individual drills while catching passes from Julian Sayin.

In particular, Tate showed off his tracking skills on deep passes and his precise route running, which have made him a strong candidate to be the first receiver off the board in the 2026 NFL draft.

After finishing his workout, Tate confirmed he plans to attend the draft and will be meeting with multiple teams picking in the top 10 over the next couple of weeks.

There were also images of Washington Commanders officials, including head coach Dan Quinn, chatting with Tate after the pro day festivities wrapped up.

The Commanders currently own the seventh pick and could use another receiver to pair with Terry McLaurin.

Unfortunately for them, there's a possibility Tate might not even get to Washington. B/R's NFL scouting department projected him to the New York Giants at No. 5 in its most recent mock draft.

Tate had an early visit with the Cleveland Browns earlier this month. Even with some of the questions about how fast he ran at the combine, it doesn't seem to have impacted his draft stock very much.

After his workout, Tate admitted he considered running the 40 again at the pro day but opted against it and cited other prominent NFL receivers who have had success without lighting up the stopwatch.

B/R's NFL scouting department has Tate ranked as the No. 2 receiver and 10th-best player overall in the 2026 class. He is right behind Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson (No. 9 overall) for the top receiver spot.

In his scouting report for B/R, Damian Parson cited DeVonta Smith as Tate's pro comp while praising his "nuanced" and "crafty route-running profile."

If there is a concern for Tate at the next level, it could be his play strength. He ranks in the 28th percentile of wide receivers at 192 pounds, but that didn't stop him from succeeding against college defenders.

Per Ian Hartitz of Fantasy Life, Tate caught 12 of 14 contested passes last season and ranked sixth in yards per route run against man coverage out of the top-25 highest-ranked draft-eligible receivers this year.

Tate was also seventh in that category against zone coverage, so he's proven capable of winning against any type of defense.

Given the track record of success for Ohio State receivers in the NFL in recent years, Tate has as strong of a case as anyone to be the top pass-catcher off the board when the draft begins on April 23.

Tate averaged a career-high 17.2 yards per catch in 11 games for the Buckeyes in 2025. He finished second on the team with 875 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.