Eric Boggs
Carnell Tate leaves Ohio State having defined what it truly means to be a Buckeye, excelling not only on the field but also in the classroom. The recently declared NFL draft prospect and second-team All-American wide receiver was named a first-team Academic All-American by College Sports Communicators, an honor that places him among the most accomplished student-athletes in the country. For Ohio State fans, Tate represents the ideal blend of talent, work ethic, and commitment to excellence that has long defined the program.
A sport industry major, Tate was one of just 25 first-team Academic All-Americans selected nationally, with only five coming from the Big Ten. He carried a 3.5 grade point average during the academic year and became the 33rd player in Ohio State history to earn first-team Academic All-American status. That distinction is even rarer than being named a consensus first-team All-American on the field, a reminder that Tate’s impact reaches far beyond the stat sheet.
His production on Saturdays matched his discipline during the week. In just 11 games in the 2025 season, Tate caught 51 passes for 875 yards and nine touchdowns, serving as a consistent playmaker in an offense loaded with talent. A starter on Ohio State’s 2024 national championship team, he closes his Buckeye career with 121 receptions for 1,872 yards and 18 touchdowns, numbers that reflect both consistency and big-play ability on the game’s biggest stages.
National recognition followed, as four major organizations — the American Football Coaches Association, The Sporting News, the Associated Press, and On3 — all named Tate a second-team All-American in 2025. His route-running precision, strong hands, and football IQ made him one of the most reliable receivers in the country and a nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators.
As he now turns his attention to the NFL, Tate is widely projected as a first-round pick in the 2026 draft, with many analysts placing him comfortably in the top 10. Should he be selected in the first 32 picks, he would extend Ohio State’s remarkable streak of first-round wide receiver selections to five consecutive years, further cementing the program’s reputation as Wide Receiver U.
The Academic All-America honor carries its own weight, recognizing student-athletes who balance elite athletic performance with academic excellence. Candidates must maintain at least a 3.50 GPA, be starters or key contributors, and advance through a rigorous nomination and selection process that begins at the district level and culminates in national recognition. Established in 1952, the program has honored more than 44,000 student-athletes across multiple divisions and associations, making Tate’s inclusion an achievement of lasting significance.
For Ohio State fans, Carnell Tate’s legacy is complete and inspiring. He leaves Columbus as a national champion, an All-American, a future first-round pick, and one of the finest scholar-athletes ever to wear scarlet and gray — a standard-bearer for what it means to represent Ohio State in every sense of the word.
