Though Ohio State no longer has Brian Hartline guiding its wide receivers, the coach could still get one final draft-stage moment through Carnell Tate. Despite his heroics in the 2025 season in the OSU receiving corps, he might be in for a tough fate with a struggling team. It might turn out that Tate goes wasted in this surprising landing spot.

Carnell Tate has long been presumed to be a first-round pick in the 2026 draft. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah granted him that luxury in his latest mock draft, predicting him to be picked as No. 16 by the Jets. If this does pan out as a reality for the star WR, he has a fair share of cons to look out for along with the pros.

The first major upside is, for sure, the money. As the No. 16 pick, Tate can also earn a good rookie contract. According to Sportrac, the WR should be slated for a $21.6 million rookie package. Last year, former Ole Miss DT Walter Nolen scored a $19.4 million contract with the Cardinals, with a $10.4 million signing bonus. Financially, and in terms of getting playing time, Carnell Tate seems to be going to a great franchise.

The Jets are no strangers to the Buckey caliber in a wide receiver, thanks to Garrett Wilson. He gets to be reunited with the iconic player, making this a potentially powerful pairing for the offense. Wilson emerged as the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in the 2022 season, which means Tate can also be looking at a prolific rookie season in this offense. The franchise needs an impactful WR to go along with Wilson and Adonai Mitchell, who showed his talents at times during the season.

Tate has impressed beyond measure, having been able to break out from Jeremiah Smith’s towering shadow. He is WR1 in the 2026 draft class, having lit up the field with 51 receptions for 875 yards and 9 touchdowns. Tate also delivered in the big moments, completing a monstrous 50-yard pass from Julian Saying against Michigan. That pass was OSU’s longest throw since Chris Olave’s 57-yarder against TTUN in 2019.

Everyone wants a bite at getting a Buckeye talent, especially Carnell Tate. However, without a good quarterback in place, no WR can thrive. On a very troubling note for Tate, the Jets have historically struggled at quarterback. Since 2016, 10 QBs have been cycled through as starters for at least seven games each. Neither touted saviors like Sam Darnold nor backups like Joe Flacco impressed over these years. Plus, Justin Fields and the Jets will likely part ways after recording the worst passing statistics in the NFL. Brady Cook has also been a disappointment this year.

With no talented QB to lead the offense, Carnell Tate is looking at trouble here. The Jets were also in talks of getting Dante Moore in the 2026 draft, as they have the No. 2 pick as well, and Fernando Mendoza is set for the Raiders at No. 1. However, the Oregon QB threw them into more jeopardy by announcing his return for the Ducks in the 2026 season. The only hope now is Tyrod Taylor, who is rumored to be re-signed by the Jets.

Because the Jets are yet to fix this gaping hole, the other New York team can also make away with the star WR.

Carnell Tate is also predicted to go to the New York Giants

The other New York team is also a great landing spot for Carnell Tate. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. picked the WR as No. 5 in his mock draft for the New York Giants. John Harbaugh needs a playmaker at wide receiver, and they have a dependable QB in Jaxson Dart. Tate gets to play along with Malik Nabers, who was WR1 in the 2020 draft. Tate can deliver from the get-go, making him a really good option for the Giants.

Though the receiver isn’t a pressing need for Harbaugh, he can still make the gamble on Carnell Tate. He has used first-round picks 4 times in past drafts to get a WR. Interestingly, none of them were within the Top 20. Carnell Tate, with his playmaking abilities, will be a big win for the Giants. Plus, his rookie contract with the franchise could be $46 million, more than double what the Jets can offer him. It’s a win-win for Carnell Tate here.

Carnell Tate stands out in a very crowded class of WRs in the 2026 draft. He serves as the answer to many teams’ problems. But the latter also has to take into account the sheer talent they’ll be working with. OSU receivers have seldom disappointed in the NFL, but they also need a good signal-caller to maximise their potential.

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