Beyond those grueling tackles, eye-catching passes, contested catches, and explosive bull rushing, college football players also carry an academic onus. With only 1.5% of college football players getting an NFL opportunity, the emphasis on a good academic degree remains paramount. In that regard, OSU has done consistently well. Star wideout Carnell Tate and 5 others have shown remarkable academic excellence, while also lighting up the field.
This year’s Hampshire Honor Society roll is finally out, and 6 Buckeyes have made the list. Those include WR Carnell Tate, safety Lorenzo Styles Jr, OL Luke Montgomery, punter Joe McGuire, OL Julian Goines Jackson, and WR David Adolph. The Society comprises college football players across the NCAA, NAIA, and sprint football who have maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.2 (4.0 scale) or higher and were a team starter or significant contributor in the preceding season.
The NFF (National Football Foundation) Hampshire Honor Society has become the most standout and comprehensive scholar-athlete initiative in college sports. So far, the society has honored a whopping 5,691 players from every FBS school, while also recognizing 5,081 FCS honorees. This year, there has been a 652 percent increase from its initial year in 2007, and a total of 2,596 athletes have made the list. As for Ohio State, the school has displayed consistent academic brilliance.
Ohio State has been at the pinnacle of academic emphasis and ranks third in the multi-year Academic Progress Rate of 1000. In 2024, Harvard was tied with Ohio State for the top APR. When the team posted a cumulative GPA of 3.22 last spring, Ryan Day unlocked a contract incentive, receiving $50,000 in academic bonus. It all ties to OSU’s emphasis on doing everything at the highest level, including but not limited to academics.
The Standard continues in the classroom
#GoBuckspic.twitter.com/FH1j6FevQK
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) April 8, 2026
“If you’re doing one thing in your life at the highest level, you’re going to do everything else at the highest level,” AD Ross Bjork said in April, 2025. “If you just look at our football team…Football had the highest GPA (in program history) last spring and last fall. They’re on track this spring to have a really great GPA, and we just won the national championship.”
Last year, the society honored Emeka Egbuka, Will Howard, Donovan Jackson, and Seth McLaughlin. Before that, in 2023, three Buckeyes players, Paris Johnson Jr, Kamryn Babb, and Bradley Robinson got the honors. Interestingly, in 2026, not one player from Ohio State’s arch-rival, Michigan, has made the list. That might just give another cause for celebration and pride for the OSU fans.
As for achieving the honors, it was never easy for Carnell Tate.
Carnell Tate has always remained focused on the eye of the tiger
Carnell Tate was waiting in the wings in OSU’s National Championship-winning season. But in 2025, he impressed fans and experts with an 875 receiving yard haul and nine touchdowns. Currently, analysts project him to be a first-round pick, and he is easily among the best WRs in the 2026 NFL draft. Despite all this hard work, Tate never forgot to balance his academics.
Owing to that attitude, Tate was named the 2025 Division 1 Academic All-American by the College Sports Communicators. Only 25 D1 players earned that award, and Tate became one of them, among only 5 selected from the Big 10. Tate finished his OSU journey with an impressive 3.7 GPA. For comparison, the Natty-winning team had an average GPA of 3.22. Carnell Tate was giving his all.
He became the 33rd Buckeye to get a first-team Academic All-American honor, and also bagged the more coveted consensus first-team All-American honor. Tate started his journey in Columbus in the shadows, but left Ohio State as one of its brightest products, both on and off the field.
