The Ohio State Buckeyes continue to be a wide receiver factory.
Their latest developmental project may just be star wideout Carnell Tate. Through nearly three seasons thus far in Columbus, Tate has continued to improve leaps and bounds, catching the attention of NFL Draft analysts and other football personnel.
One of those is ESPN's Matt Miller who confidently gave Tate an eye-popping NFL comp: Minnesota Vikings star wideout Justin Jefferson.
Miller was particularly impressed with the way both men play their spots when it comes to spreading the field alongside their ability to generate yards after contact (YAC).
“I know, I know… this sounds wild. But it’s on point when comparing Tate to what Jefferson was at LSU – not what he is doing now in the NFL. Both are 6-foot-3 and around 200 pounds," Miller wrote. "They each excelled as route runners while also being dominant on 50-50 balls thanks to vertical skills and body-adjustment ability. “I’m not predicting Tate will take the NFL by storm and become a top player as quickly as Jefferson did, but their skill sets are very similar when evaluating where they were entering the draft.”
Jefferson has caught 42 touchdowns thus far through nearly six NFL seasons. His best season statistically came in 2022 when the Vikings won the NFC North with a 13-4 record. Jefferson's season saw him hit a career-high 1,809 yards while catching eight touchdowns.
The Vikings would go on to lose in the NFC Wild Card Round to the New York Giants at home, 31-24.
Although Tate has more time to grow and develop into a big-game receiver at the next level, it's a telling sign to see that those in the know see immediate benefit for whichever team decides to draft him.