Max Klare is a 6’4, 246 pound tight end from The Ohio State University. He was a 3 star prospect who played quarterback, tight end, and kicker at St. Xavier High School. He signed with Purdue University to play tight end. He red shirted in 2022. In 2023, he played in five games (started 4) and missed the rest of the season due to an ankle injury. In 2024, he started all 12 games. He led the team with 51 receptions, 685 receiving yards, and 4 touchdowns. He was leading the Boilermakers in receiving with more than twice as many receptions as any player on their roster. He entered the transfer portal in 2025 and signed with Ohio State. He played all 14 games (started 12) as a red shirt junior. Max had 43 receptions, 448 receiving yards, and 2 touchdowns. While his production declined at Ohio State, he was still 1st Team All-Big 10.
Max put on some weight at Ohio State. He continues to round out his frame so he can be a serviceable blocker. While his smaller arms (32 ⅛ inches) and hands (9 ⅛ inches) can limit his ceiling, his height will translate. He lost some fluidity with the weight gain. But he still displays enough speed, burst, and play strength to make him one of the best tight end prospects in this class.
Max has competitive toughness. He bet on himself to compete and develop at a winning program. His physicality will continue to improve against edge defenders. He is more confident in high pointing the ball and maintaining firm body control. He needs to develop a better understanding of play speed. He occasionally bumps into his teammates when he runs his routes. With better spacing and timing, the quarterback has more options to throw the ball to.
Max has a polished route tree for a tight end. In Ohio State’s spread offense, Max ran a series of bang 8s, corners, flats, digs, outs, hitches, crossers, spots, shovels, screens, and shakes. His targets will be in short and intermediate areas of the football field. He finds the soft spots in zone coverage. He is also a suitable check down option. Play callers can motion Max in and out of the slot to determine coverage, create mismatches, and clear out defenders.
Max can operate in the seam as long as he isn’t jammed at the line of scrimmage. He can struggle to get separation vertically if the defender keeps his hands on him. He can delay his release after blocking a 5 technique, like he did against Indiana during the Big Ten Championship game. This is an effective way to catch defenders off guard and leak out as a safety valve. His release on the outside is average at best for a tight end. If he gets separation on the perimeter, he’ll create a small window for a back shoulder throw. Coaches can “exit motion” him for a better get off.
While he doesn’t have breakaway speed, Max still has burst and speed to climb to the second level. He isn’t going to make defenders miss in the open field, but he likes to run through contact. He needs to make sure he secures the ball after the catch. He can have lapses in concentration. Some of his drops come from contact. However, there are times when he is open and can’t come down with the catch in high pressure situations, like his 4th down route against Texas in 2025. He continues to improve his ball tracking skills in the air. But in order for him to be reliable on later downs, he can’t have costly drops.
Ohio State’s offense includes a lot of 11, 12, and 13 man personnel. Max is willing to block in any tight end grouping. He can help an offensive tackle block against a wide 9. He is capable of setting a trap block to create space for the running back. He can excel in position blocking and sealing smaller defenders from the slot, like he did against Illinois in 2025. It’s not his strong suit to block in short yardage run situations. He misses a lot of slice blocks in the run game, allowing defenders to get inside penetration. This mostly stems from poor hand placement, as he struggles to sustain blocks for more than a couple seconds at a time. He’ll need to refine his hands and run blocking techniques in order to get more playing time in the NFL.
Scheme Fit and Team Fit:
Max needs to go to an offense that utilizes tight ends in the slot or 12 man personnel. Coaches shouldn’t expect him to be an in line blocker right away. But he can have an immediate impact in an offense that likes to throw to tight ends in space. The Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Chargers are ideal fits for Max. While both organizations love to run the football, they don’t have tight ends who are serious threats in the passing game.
Player Comparison: Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills
Dawson was bigger and more athletic in college, but he and Max have similar skill sets as pass catchers.
Projection: League Average Starter
While I don’t see Max as an immediate impact player, he will be a proven starter within three years.
Grade and Round Projection: 4.71, Late Second-Early Third Round Pick
I gave Max a 4.71 grade with a curve (3.71 initial), projecting him as a late second or early third round pick of the NFL Draft.
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