Early Signing Period: Four-Star WR Carnell Tate Signs With Ohio State

Get to know Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy four-star wide receiver Carnell Tate, who signed his national letter of intent with Ohio State on Wednesday.

Height, Weight: 6-2, 180.

247 Composite Rankings: He’s rated as the 61st overall prospect, 10th-best wide receiver and the No. 12 prospect out of Florida.

Commitment Date: Tate committed to Ohio State on June 20.

Other Offers: Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, Cincinnati, Colorado, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Louisville, LSU, Miami (Fla.), Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Missouri, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Oregon, Oregon State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, South Carolina, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Toledo, Vanderbilt, Washington, West Virginia.

How he did in high school: Tate has been a standout at IMG Academy, hauling in 30 catches for 777 yards and eight touchdowns this past season. He transferred to IMG Academy prior to the 2021 season, and before missing his sophomore season due to the pandemic, he caught 28 passes for 444 yards and five touchdowns for Chicago Marist.

Why he committed to Ohio State: Look no further than wide receivers coach Brian Hartline as to why Tate ended up at Ohio State. He had long been viewed as a lean toward the Buckeyes given how complimentary Tate was of Ohio State and Hartline, even going as far to say that Ohio State was a “dream school,” and that relationship helped the Buckeyes survive a late push in Tate’s commitment from Tennessee.

Where he fits in for 2023: Tate has the talent to step into a lot of schools and start immediately, but Ohio State is not one of those schools given the talent in front of him. Even so, many freshman have made impacts in recent seasons at Ohio State, and Tate has the skill to immediately contribute. It’s most likely, though, that he’ll bide his time before pushing for a starting role in 2024.