Brian Hartline strikes again, lands 5-star WR Carnell Tate

Brian Hartline is Ohio through and through. He grew up in Canton, played at Ohio State and returned to Columbus to coach for the Buckeyes after a seven-year NFL career.

His impact on his alma mater has been tremendous since joining the staff in 2017.

Ohio State has had five wide receivers drafted into the NFL over the past four seasons. Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson were selected at No. 10 and No. 11 this year. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is slated to go early in the 2023 NFL Draft.

That success is catching the eyes of players across the country.

Bryson Rodgers, a four-star wide receiver out of Zephyrhills (Fla.) Wiregrass Ranch, committed to the Buckeyes in April.

But Hartline has topped himself again as five-star wide receiver Carnell Tate has committed to Ohio State over Tennessee. And much of that credit deserves to go to Hartline.

“Coach Hartline is great at developing wide receivers,” Tate told On3 in a previous interview. “He gets his players ready for the league. Player development has always been very important and that is something coach Hartline does.”

The relationship between Hartline and Tate is deep. Tate is a Chicago native, and he has family members that grew up following the Buckeyes. Ohio State offered the No. 15 prospect in the On3 Consensus in April 2021. But the relationship with Hartline started earlier than that.

“We have that connection,” Tate told On3 about Hartline earlier this year. “He is a great teacher, but he is also a good person. He has been consistent with me and he has gotten to know me and my family.

“Coach Hartline has been recruiting me for a long time and relationships are important to me. That is something I have always been big on.”

Hartline is regarded as one of the top coaches in college football. He built a very impressive wide receiver room a year ago and it will be strong again this fall. With Rodgers and Tate committed, he is looking to keep the room as one of the best in college football for years to come.

This is only the beginning, too. Five-star Brandon Inniss and four-star Noah Rogers are two the Buckeyes are currently trending for. Rogers is expected to commit this summer and Inniss is still deciding when he’d like to make his commitment.

Hartline got his guy in Tate by staying consistent on and off the field. He will add more.

“Coach Hartline is a relentless recruiter and is a relationship builder,” said a source close to Hartline. “

“He takes coaching and development seriously and has the pedigree that kids trust him. He loves Ohio State and is passionate about that place.“

Another source within the Big Ten said, “He is on his way up.” I agree with that.