Carnell Tate broke into Ohio State's receiver rotation as a freshman last year.

Climbing a crowded depth chart, he became the Buckeyes' most heavily used backup at the position. Only a starting receiver trio that included superstar Marvin Harrison Jr. played more snaps.

It was an especially impressive debut for Tate as he suffered personal tragedy.

Less than three weeks before the Buckeyes opened preseason training camp in August, his mother, Ashley Griggs, was killed in a drive-by shooting in Chicago.

As he dealt with the immense loss, it hardened him.

“I'm definitely stronger since it happened,” Tate said. “I'm still coping with it, but I’ve become a better person.”

In the following months, he felt the embrace of his teammates, who helped him carry on.

“The team was there for me,” Tate said. “They were my backbone. They helped me get through everything. They showed their support when I needed them the most. It was a tough situation, but it was easy to get through knowing that the team was behind me.”

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Tate, who caught 18 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown in 2023, hopes to see his impact widen as a sophomore as he professes a similar determination as he had when he made his debut for Ohio State.

“I’m pretty much going in with the same mindset,” Tate said. “I’m trying to play and trying to have a breakout year, so I don’t think anything’s changed. I’m just trying to go out and make plays and make a name for myself.”

The Buckeyes are encouraged by his continued development.

As they went through the second week of spring practice, coach Ryan Day remarked that Tate has had a “really good offseason.”

Day referenced his experience. Tate graduated early from IMG Academy in Florida, where he spent his last two years of high school, to participate in spring practice with the Buckeyes at this time a year ago.

He added that Tate’s growth mirrored the trajectory of other receivers who blossomed in their second year at Ohio State.

“The sky’s the limit for Carnell,” Day said. “He’s extremely talented.”

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If Tate continues to make strides, he should push for a starting spot in the months ahead. There are two up for grabs after Julian Fleming transferred to Penn State and Harrison left early for the NFL.

The opportunities could come at a variety of spots. While Tate’s 6-foot-3 frame makes him a natural candidate to line up out wide, he is also getting reps out of the slot.

Tate has some experience inside. When Emeka Egbuka, the Buckeyes’ starting slot receiver, missed three games after he sprained his left ankle in October, he helped to fill in.

As he played 103 snaps on offense during that stretch, Tate was in the slot for 50 of them.

“I’m definitely versatile,” Tate said. “I could play both, wherever they need me.”

Egbuka and Tate are the Buckeyes’ only receivers moving inside and outside this spring, juggling multiple positions.

Tate knows there are some subtleties between the spots. He mentioned that he’s more likely to be covered by a bigger cornerback and he’ll have more turf inside. But he stressed that it was not a “big thing” for him to bounce around.

His biggest focus is cleaning up fundamentals with his route running. He pointed to working on the breaks at the top of his routes.

Tate feels as if the expectations have grown as he prepares for the fall.

“I can definitely sense that,” Tate said. “The coaches are saying, ‘We are going to need you to make a play. We need some energy out of you.’ I can definitely sense having a bigger role this season.”

Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch and can be reached at jkaufman@dispatch.com.

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate coped with immense loss as freshman