Share and Follow
Among the various universities that carry the “OSU” moniker, Ohio State stands out distinctly, especially when it comes to nurturing top-tier wide receivers. Regarded as “Wide Receiver University” or “WRU,” Ohio State has consistently produced NFL-caliber talent, challenging even the likes of LSU for this prestigious title. With Carnell Tate poised to extend this legacy by becoming the latest Buckeye wideout to enter the NFL Draft, Ohio State’s reputation continues to grow. If Tate is selected in the first round, it will mark the fifth consecutive year that an Ohio State receiver has achieved this distinction, contributing to a total of 15 Buckeye receivers drafted since 2010, including nine in just the last four years.
Brian Hartline, who served as Ohio State’s receivers coach from 2018 to 2025, has been instrumental in shaping this impressive track record. In a conversation with The Post, Hartline emphasized his commitment to preparing players for professional success: “If you can’t play in the NFL, you are probably not starting for us. That’s what I would tell them,” he remarked. Hartline’s approach is straightforward: prioritize NFL readiness over merely excelling in college football or academics. “I’m trying to get you ready to play in the NFL. Period. Your job is to add those skills to the collective of Ohio State’s offense,” he added.
Hartline’s credibility extends beyond the college ranks into the NFL scouting community, where he is highly regarded. His expertise contributed to his selection as head coach at South Florida, where he is expected to leverage the region’s rich recruiting resources and increased financial backing. Before this role, Hartline was known in the NFL as a reliable 1,000-yard receiver for the Dolphins, which further solidified his reputation.
Ohio State’s practices reflect their professional aspirations, adhering to NFL standards such as requiring two feet in bounds for a completion—despite the NCAA’s one-foot rule. This alignment with professional regulations underscores Ohio State’s dedication to preparing players for the next level, reinforcing its status as a breeding ground for future NFL stars.
Ohio State practices are governed by NFL rules, including it’s not a catch unless two feet are in bounds (though NCAA rules only require one foot).
“From a development standpoint, [Ohio State receivers] are so far ahead of everybody else that’s coming from all these other places,” NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. “Brian Hartline has instilled in them a professionalism, a work ethic. You talk to the coaches who have had players out of there, it’s hard to see those guys not being successful for how they’ve been trained.”
LSU (NFL-high 16 receivers drafted since 2010) might want to argue, especially with four alums in the top seven in receiving yards in 2024 (Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Brian Thomas Jr. and Malik Nabers).
But — even before Tate is the likely first receiver selected next week — Ohio State counters with an Offensive Player of the Year (Jaxon Smith-Njigba), an Offensive Rookie of the Year (Garrett Wilson), two other All-Pros (Terry McLaurin and Chris Olave), and rising stars Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka.
“I think when you bring it all together and you look at the names and what we’ve done,” said Smith-Njigba, who just moved ahead of Chase and Jefferson as the NFL’s highest-paid receiver, “I think there’s no question now.”
Hartline thinks of McLaurin as a “CEO,” of Wilson as “explosive,” of Olave as “clean,” of Harrison Jr. as an “artist,” of Smith-Njigba as a “purist,” of Egbuka as a “perfectionist” and of Tate as “smooth.” But what’s the common thread?
“These athletes are some of the best in the league right now, but I think they had the right wiring,” Hartline said. “That’s really the formula. They all move and operate much differently, frankly. It’s not about a cookie cutter. It’s about being able to do the job the way that you do it but then having that mental makeup to be highly competitive, to take hard coaching, to apply coaching, to learn the game at a different level.”
Hartline operates with an NFL general manager’s mindset.
“It’s not that you can go make this catch. The question is how often you do it,” Hartline said. “GMs don’t care about all the issues. They want to know, ‘When I throw you the ball, what happens?’ There’s a general understanding that production doesn’t mean it was good. That’s big for me. That’s a curl, but it can still be a terrible route. My time up in the NFL [taught me] that we should’ve gotten it right yesterday, not today. The urgency is there. I took jobs of guys that were much more talented than me, but I didn’t make a mistake. I want them to operate the same way.”
Tate is the model of that mindset.
So what if he was the No. 2 receiver — drawing single coverage — at Ohio State?
Teammate Jeremiah Smith could be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 draft, and it hasn’t slowed Olave, Wilson, Smith-Njibga and Jameson Williams (one year at Ohio State before transferring to Alabama) that they played together.
“Carnell is probably the smartest player I’ve ever coached,” Hartline said. “All that’s going to happen for as long as Carnell wants to play is people are going to try to bring in the faster guy or the bigger guy and he’ll keep taking their job. No one will unseat him because he will never make mistakes. In a world of inconsistency, he’ll be the most consistent thing on your team.”