No one expected that former Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate’s name would be called out when Tennessee was on the clock for their 4th overall pick. However, behind the scenes, the Titans saw more value in him than the experts predicted. Beyond that surprise, though, Tate also did something else entirely for Ohio State. He seemingly put an end to a long-standing debate about OSU’s status as WR-U.

2026 was the fifth straight year that the Buckeyes had sent a first-round wide receiver to the NFL. LSU’s WR-U status, once unquestioned, has slipped over five years. Now, to even bolster that belief, Carnell Tate weighed in on the same debate.

“Is Ohio State wide receiver U?” Detroit Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown asked Tate this question on his podcast. It didn’t take Tate long to respond; he said, “Yes, definitely.” But then came the follow-up question: was LSU, the program that has produced WRs like Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson, up there with Ohio State? “They go behind Ohio State,” Carnell Tate replied, fueling a long-standing debate.

Since the 2022 NFL draft, the Buckeyes have seen six WRs selected in the first round of the NFL draft. The list includes Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and now Carnell Tate. OSU’s average draft position is 11.3, and the Buckeyes now own the all-time record with 14 first-round wide receiver selections. As for LSU?

More recently, LSU saw Malik Nabers getting selected 6th overall in the 2024 NFL draft, along with Brian Thomas Jr. (23rd overall). Before Nabers and Thomas, LSU’s last first-round WR was Ja’Marr Chase (2021). Clearly, the Baton Rouge program has lagged in producing consistent first-round WRs as it once did. This has been the case at least over the past 5-6 years.

“Everything we coach, though, is for the NFL,” OSU’s longtime WRs coach, Brian Hartline, said on Steve Smith Sr.’s show recently. “You don’t coach anything for college. Everything we train is for the NFL. It’s kind of like going to college and not learning for your professional job. It’s a waste of time. So, everything is taught from that philosophical thought process.”

Ohio State has built an assembly line where elite receivers arrive, compete against other future professionals, and leave prepared for the NFL. It’s a feedback loop that continues to this day with players like Jeremiah Smith and freshman Chris Henry Jr. For starters, the 2021 Ohio State receiver room included Wilson, Olave, Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Emeka Egbuka. Every one of those players eventually became a first-round NFL pick. And the players will attest to it.

Garrett Wilson explains the major reason OSU has the ‘WR-U’ advantage over LSU

That environment is a major reason why Buckeye receivers transition so smoothly to the professional game. They get used to NFL-style expectations before they ever reach the league. Former Ohio State receivers have repeatedly credited the competitive culture created under Ryan Day and former receivers coach Brian Hartline. Garrett Wilson explained why elite prospects continue choosing Columbus despite knowing they may have to wait for their opportunity.

“I think it says a lot about the way they recruit the guys that they decide to go get, wanting to come to Ohio State,” Wilson explained in 2024 to Cleveland.com. “You don’t see that too often. Most guys want to go and be the guy. At O-State, it’s like you’ll get it on the backend, but come here and learn for a little bit. Learn how to work, learn how to practice, go about your business, and it’ll all pay off on the back end.”

For the 2027 draft, Ohio State will have a guaranteed first-round selection in Jeremiah Smith if the wide receiver declares for the draft. That will further stretch the Buckeyes’ advantage over the Tigers. For now, the LSU doesn’t have a player of the same ilk on its 2026 roster.