Buffalo Bills 2026 NFL Draft: Ohio State WR Carnell Tate Scouting Report

The Bills enter the 2026 offseason needing a big influx of talent on both sides of the ball. But one of the goals for Brandon Beane and the front office has to be to find better wide receiver play for Josh Allen. That could prove to be difficult considering their cap situation and where they pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but improving the wide receiver is a must.

The good news for Buffalo is that this year’s draft has plenty of wide receiver talent, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Bills be ultra-aggressive in finding their next No. 1 receiver. Could Carnell Tate from Ohio State be the perfect solution? Here is our scouting report on the former five-star recruit:

Carnell Tate NFL Draft Scouting Report

Height: 6021

Weight: 195 pounds

Expected 40 Yard Dash Time: 4.47-4.51

Recruiting: 5-star recruit, No. 22 player nationally. No. 3 ranked wide receiver

College Production: 39 career games, 121 receptions for 1,872 yards and 14 touchdowns. Averaged 17.2 yards per reception during the 2025 season (51 receptions).

Positives:

• Has No. 1 wide receiver size and length. Most importantly, knows how to use his size to his benefit.

• No wasted movement off the line of scrimmage. Quickly gets into his routes and drives off the snap.

• Doesn’t drop passes and has vice-grips for hands. (Zero drops in 2025 via Pro Football Focus).

• Huge catch radius and can snatch the ball from nearly every angle, including over his head and outside of his body.

• Has shown a willingness to participate in the run game as a blocker. Technique needs cleaned up, but makes a strong effort.

• Might be the best contested catch receiver in the entire draft.

• Surprisingly good route runner for a player of his size.

There is no one thing that blows you away when watching Tate, but he does all of the little things well. He’s improved dramatically as a route runner over the last few years and can make every single catch. He’s become one of the most consistent players in the class, and his work ethic suggests that his best football is still ahead of him.

Teams searching for a well-rounded receiver with size, ball skills and the ability to run every route will fall in love with Tate during the pre-draft process.

Negatives:

• Not a threat after the catch as he averaged just 4.5 yards after the catch/reception during the 2025 season.

• More of a build-up speed player rather than a twitchy athlete. And that is displayed in his pedestrian YAC numbers.

• Can create separation deep, but won’t run by defenders consistently.

• Most of his snaps came as an outside receiver at Ohio State. Might not be a great fit in the slot unless he’s being used as a vertical threat. 

• Benefited from playing opposite Jeremiah Smith and saw the lesser cornerbacks from opponents in most matchups.

Despite being a good route runner, Tate doesn’t always create a ton of separation, especially not on out-breaking routes. He can do so when he is running longer developing routes, but he uses his size to box out defenders on the outside when he’s not creating separation.

Tate isn’t a supreme athlete like other No. 1 receivers such as Ja’Marr Chase or Justin Jefferson. That doesn’t mean he’s a stiff, but he’s just not as explosive in the open field as either of those players.

Carnell Tate NFL Player Comparison: Texans WR Nico Collins

It’s not hard to see the comparison between Collins and Tate as they are both big-bodied wide receivers who are shockingly good route runners. Collins might be a tad more athletic, but they are used in similar situations and can be viable No. 1 receivers on very good offenses.

If Tate can continue to develop as a route runner and be put into an offense that utilizes his size and long speed, don’t be surprised if he has similar success in the NFL.

Carnell Tate Fit With Buffalo Bills:

The fit with the Bills would be straightforward; Tate would be the No. 1 outside receiver in Buffalo, likely occupying the X-receiver spot. He’s had plenty of experience dealing with press coverage, and he can win consistently on the outside. Tate is light-years ahead of Keon Coleman in terms of route running and consistency, so don’t be concerned about his fit with Josh Allen.

Selecting Tate would allow Khalil Shakir to be a full-time slot receiver and would give Buffalo an outside wide receiver threat who can win against man-to-man coverage. In fact, there might not be a better team-to-player fit in the entire draft than Carnell Tate with the Buffalo Bills. The only question is how high might the Bills need to trade up to acquire Tate?

Carnell Tate NFL Draft Grade: Top-15 Grade

Tate’s lack of elite athleticism and pedestrian YAC numbers keep him from having a top-10 grade, but he is still one of the best receiving prospects in the class because he can do everything else at a high level.

There isn’t a huge difference between Tate and Tetairoa McMillan, who was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. So don’t be surprised if Tate does end up being selected around that spot. The NFL needs more viable receivers, and with so many wide receiver-needy teams in the top half of Round 1, it’s not hard to see a path for Tate being selected very high.