Confident Carnell Tate ready to pop off in second year at Ohio State

Marvin Harrison Jr. popped off in Year 2. So did Emeka Egbuka. Before them, the same was true for Jaxon Smith-Njigba — Chris Olave, too, and to a certain extent Garrett Wilson.

Second-year breakouts are a thing, a trend, a spectacle, perhaps all in one for Ohio State wide receivers.

Carnell Tate wants next.

“I feel like it’s my time now,” Tate said Friday. “If not now, then when? I feel like I’m ready to embrace that bigger role as we go on.”

Tate had more targets (28), receptions (18) and receiving yards (264) as a true freshman than Harrison, Smith-Njigba and Olave did as first-year Buckeyes players, according to Pro Football Focus.

But, in 2024, Tate’s eyeing 1,000 receiving yards and becoming that “go-to guy” for the Ohio State offense.

“I’m better everywhere,” the 6-foot-3, 191-pound sophomore said. “I’ve been in the slot, been on the outside, as you guys can see. I’m better everywhere. Routes got better, I got faster, I got bigger, I got stronger.”

Once more, Tate reiterated: “I’m better everywhere, and I feel good.”

The Chicago native oozed confidence in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. The one thing he conceded is that classmate and former 7-on-7 South Florida Express teammate Brandon Inniss talks more trash than him. Except, Tate then added that “when you get me started, I can be a hot head.”

“The limit for Carnell is through the roof,” Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said earlier this week. “I don’t think there is a limit to what he can be. … He’s certainly gifted. I think that’s the first thing that I recognized when he got here, like a lot of precision in his route running. He takes pride when he gets out there, knowing exactly what he’s doing. He comes in well prepared. He’s tough. The guys on that team really like who he is. And he showed last year he can do it.

“So he’s going to have to be a major contributor for our offense this year if we’re going to do what we want to do.”

Tate was the first member of the Buckeyes’ 2023 signing class to shed his black stripe last year. He was the talk of the town in the spring, and then in the fall he made an impact from the jump.

As a true freshman, Tate played 292 offensive snaps, the 13th most of any Buckeyes player in 2023, according to PFF. He also logged 102 special teams snaps, including a combined 85 snaps on kick and punt return.

Tate was targeted 28 times, in other words the fifth most on the team. He caught 18 passes for 264 yards and a score. His touchdown came in Week 3 against Western Kentucky when backup quarterback Devin Brown located Tate 28 yards downfield for six.

Tate’s longest reception of the season went for 55 yards, most of which he gobbled after the catch at Purdue. That was part of a two-game stretch in which he turned in back-to-back three-reception performances. The second of those came in a top-10 matchup versus Penn State.

The IMG Academy product dropped a pair of passes last year, but the way he was talking Friday, it’s clear two drops are too many in his book.

Ohio State co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach Brian Hartline said Tate probably has some of the toughest hands on the team.

“I catch everything,” Tate said. “Ball’s thrown my way, I make a play. That’s what he means by that.”

Tate later added: “Just concentration. You can’t get in your head about it. Catching is a mindset game. When you start dropping the ball, you can get in your head and stuff like that. So you got to build confidence by keep catching the ball.”

Tate has been a can’t-miss performer in training camp this year. He’s climbing the ladder to make some catches, reaching back to make others and, in the process, consistently plucking the ball away from his body.

Hartline described Tate as a versatile receiver who absorbs the details of an offense and, when it comes to mistakes, isn’t a repeat offender.

“It doesn’t matter really where you put Carnell,” Hartline said. “He’s gonna take care of his job and be a competitive advantage.”

Tate isn’t a true freshman peeling back the top layer of his potential anymore. He’s a year older. He’s more confident. He’s ready to pop off.

“They gonna see me play ball and talk my trash with it,” Tate said.