Carnell Tate 40 time projection: How fast will Ohio State WR run at the NFL Combine?

Carnell Tate isn't considered the fastest player in the NFL Draft by any means. But his performance in the 40-yard dash could force a team in the top five of the NFL Draft to bite. Tate has been considered the top receiver in this NFL Draft class, but that doesn't mean he'll be a high pick. Showing off his speed could go a long way to getting on more NFL front offices radars.

Carnell Tate 40 time prediction and projection

It’s widely believed that Carnell Tate will be the first wide receiver taken in the 2026 NFL Draft. He could solidify that with a strong showing in the 40-yard dash event. It won’t be the end all, be all for him though with Jaxon Smith-Njigba recording a 4.48 and he was still a first round pick. Another player comparison for Tate, per Bleacher Report, is Jameson Williams. He didn’t run an official 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, but he believes he could shatter the combine record with a 4.1 – honestly he’s so fast, I almost believe him.

Tate has the ability to get behind the defense and make plays in open space, which is why he won’t have a super fast 40-yard time. He’ll be closer to Smith-Njigba’s 40-yard time. NFL Draft Buzz is predicting a 4.52 and I think that’s fair.

Prediction: 4.49

Carnell Tate, Ohio State Buckeyes — Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What range is Carnell Tate projected to be drafted?

I’d be surprised to see Tate fall out of the top 10. He’s that good of a receiver and there’s that many teams within the first 10 picks that could use him. At worst, he’s a mid-to-late first round pick. He’s the consensus No. 1 receiver in this class so his name should come off the board fairly quickly. It was hard for Tate to stand out next to Jeremiah Smith, but Tate did have a solid 2025 season at Ohio State. Expect him to be the next of a long line of pass catchers from Ohio State in the NFL.

Potential Carnell Tate landing spots in the 2026 draft

Las Vegas Raiders

Let me preface this by saying this only happens if the Raiders trade back from the No. 1 overall pick. Las Vegas should be taking Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick, but I guess, stranger things have happened. The Raiders offense needs a near complete makeover so landing someone like Tate can kick start the potential of this young offense.

Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans have to get Cam Ward help immediately. Their offense looked bad and Ward still managed to flex his potential as a franchise quarterback. They could go one of two ways with this pick: Either draft defense and improve that side of the ball or go with Tate. I don’t think they’ll draft an offensive lineman that high if Tate and a really good EDGE rusher are there. I think Tate falls out of the top four, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him in Nashville.

New York Giants

Jaxson Dart somehow made this offense look better than it was, despite losing a key weapon (Malik Nabers) and a promising one (Cam Skattebo). They will almost certainly draft Tate in my opinion unless they fall in love with a player that falls to them. The Giants will need to drastically improve their offensive line, but they have to get Dart some help. The weapons on this team are bad and pairing Nabers with Tate would be an immediate fix.

Cleveland Browns

Do I really want to wish this upon Tate? Not really, but I can’t help but think about how much better this offense will get with a realistic option as a No. 1 receiver. Shedeur Sanders will most likely be the Week 1 starter next year so getting him a true No. 1 target is key. Yes, the Browns offensive line needs a lot of help, but addressing that with the No. 6 pick if Tate is there feels wrong.

Carnell Tate stats and draft info from Ohio State

Carnell Tate, Ohio State Buckeye — Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 195 pounds
Position: Wide receiver
2025 stats: 875 receiving yards, 9 TDs

Tate is as polished of a receiver as you could ask for at the collegiate level. He can trace the ball, make plays in open space and is savvy enough to get behind defenders. He doesn’t have the hype that Marvin Harrison Jr. had, but the hype isn’t everything. Smith-Njigba took off this past season, Garrett Wilson had a strong start to his career, Chris Olave is succeeding at New Orleans and Emeka Egbuka is looking like the next star receiver in Tampa Bay.

All this to say that Tate is in good company, coming from Ohio State. A big outing at the NFL Scouting Combine would validate why he’s the next Ohio State receiver to be a mainstay in the NFL.