The pre-NFL draft consensus around Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate has been relatively stable for months.
He has been labeled a blue-chip prospect, widely viewed as the top receiver in the 2026 class, and a near-lock to come off the board somewhere in the top 10.
Early projections frequently tied him to receiver-needy teams like the New York Giants or Cleveland Browns, with Mel Kiper Jr. himself previously slotting Tate as high as No. 5 overall earlier in the cycle.
But the conversation shifted in a meaningful way on Tuesday.
In his latest 2026 NFL mock draft, Kiper projects Tate to the New Orleans Saints at No. 8 overall, a move that would pair him with fellow former Buckeye Chris Olave and instantly reshape the outlook of New Orleans’ offense.
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Across three seasons at Ohio State, he totaled 121 receptions for 1,872 yards and 14 touchdowns, including a breakout junior campaign with 875 yards and nine scores.
Technically refined, Tate is widely praised for his route-running precision, body control, and reliable hands, traits that translate cleanly to the NFL.
His ability to win at all three levels, combined with strong production in high-leverage situations, has made him one of the safest projections in the class.
And then there’s the pedigree.
Ohio State has become a wide receiver factory, producing first-rounders like Olave, Garrett Wilson, and Marvin Harrison Jr.
Tate is simply the next in line.
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On the other side of this potential pairing is Olave, who followed a similarly dominant path at Ohio State before becoming a first-round pick.
At Ohio State, Olave totaled 2,711 receiving yards and 35 touchdowns, finishing as one of the most productive wide receivers in program history.
In the NFL, he has developed into a true No. 1 option as an elite separator with vertical speed and refined route-running.
Pairing Tate with Olave would create immediate chemistry and natural stylistic balance. Both emerged from the same Ohio State receiver pipeline, but they win in different ways.
Olave thrives as a field-stretcher and precision route technician, while Tate (6-foot-3, 195 pounds) adds size and physicality at the catch point.
Together, they would give the Saints a versatile, interchangeable duo capable of stressing defenses at every level of the field.
If Kiper Jr.’s projection holds, New Orleans could be on the verge of building one of the NFL’s most intriguing young receiver pairings, rooted in a familiar pipeline from Columbus to the pros.