Max Klare

Max Klare

TE·Ohio State
RS Junior·6'4"·240 lbs

Consensus

Derived from 2 independent scout reports + combine measurables.

79.0
Composite Score
Pick 35-55
Projected Pick
78.0
Film
+0.0
Combine
+1.0
Age

Scout Reports

Scout 1Primary Analysis72 / 100

Max Klare — Scouting Report

TE | Ohio State (via Purdue) | 2026 NFL Draft

DynastySignal — Film Report



The Short Version


Max Klare is a premium receiving tight end archetype — long, fluid, and a genuine YAC threat after the catch. He built a legitimate PFF resume at Purdue (85.6 receiving grade, 4th among TEs nationally in 2024) on a team that won one game, then transferred to Ohio State and immediately held his own against top-10 competition. The case for him is clear: elite athleticism for the position, reliable hands on most routes, and the kind of open-field speed that makes coordinators design plays specifically for him. The case against is equally direct: a drop rate of 8.9% (46th percentile) is a real concern that will suppress his target share until it's fixed, his blocking technique is below NFL standard, and at 236 lbs he'll need to add functional strength before anyone trusts him as a complete inline TE. At his ceiling, he's a 70-catch, 800-yard playmaker in a spread-friendly system. At his floor, he's a moveable chess piece who can't sustain at inline and eventually loses snaps to a bigger, stronger option.



Measurables & Background


| Attribute | Detail |

|-----------|--------|

| Height | 6'4" |

| Weight | 236 lbs |

| Class | Senior (2026 Draft Eligible) |

| Hometown | Cincinnati, OH |

| High School | St. Xavier HS |

| Recruiting | 3-star (247Sports, 2022 class) |

| Recruiting Rank | #48 TE nationally, #26 prospect in Ohio |

| Original School | Purdue |

| Transfer | Ohio State (after 2024 season) |

| Career Games | 19 (Purdue career) |

| 2024 Receptions | 51 |

| 2024 Rec Yards | 685 |

| 2024 Rec TDs | 4 |

| 2024 YPR | 13.4 |

| 2024 Catch % | 69% |

| PFF Rec Grade | 85.6 (4th nationally among TEs) |

| YPRR | 2.22 (5th) |

| YAC/Rec | 6.6 (15th) |

| Contested Catch % | 45% (37th+) |

| ADOT | 8.8 (21st) |

| Drop % | 8.9% (46th) |

| Alignment Split | Slot 47% / Inline 48% / Wide 5% |

| NFL Comp (scouting consensus) | Evan Engram |

| Projected Draft Capital | Day 2 selection |



Film Sources Reviewed


| Source | Frames | Key Content |

|--------|--------|-------------|

| A to Z Sports Film Room — Ohio State TE Max Klare Scouting Report \| 2026 NFL Draft | 18 | Analyst discussion, measurables/stats card, strengths/weaknesses graphic, Purdue game clips (spring game reps at OSU), background card |

| Big Ten Football — 2026 NFL DRAFT HIGHLIGHTS: TE Max Klare \| Ohio State Football | 18 | Live B1G game film: touchdown celebrations, route running, YAC, blocking, contested catches vs Nebraska, Penn State, Illinois, Michigan State, Indiana |

| NFL Draft Big Boards — Max Klare Summer Scouting Report \| 2026 NFL Draft Prospect | 19 | Detailed PFF stat card, strengths/areas to improve breakdown, dynasty projection, position ranking context, Ohio State 2025 film (Washington, Illinois, MSU, home games) |



What The Film Shows


Route Running — **B+ / 7.0**


Klare is a genuinely fluid route runner for a player his size, and that's the key phrase: for a player his size. He doesn't run like a 236-pound tight end. He gets in and out of breaks cleanly, shows quick acceleration out of his stance, and understands how to set up defenders with his frame. The Illinois telestrator frame (official_005) shows the coaching staff drawing up deep crossers and seam routes specifically for him — that's a sign the scheme is being tailored around his ability to stress linebackers vertically, not just underneath.


At the intermediate level, his route running is already NFL-caliber. He runs crisp out and dig routes, and the fact that he's aligned roughly 50/50 between slot and inline tells you he's genuinely versatile in how he's being deployed (highlights_003-006). The Ohio State arc shows him lining up flexed in Ohio State's spread attack and making plays on 1st-and-10 in Big Noon games vs. ranked opponents (official_016, official_017). What's missing is a refined double-move toolbox — nothing in these frames shows an elaborate stem-and-break concept, but that's also not how Purdue or Ohio State used him. He's working within structures, and he's executing them at a high level.


Athleticism & Speed — **A- / 8.5**


This is the loudest trait on tape, full stop. The Michigan State frame (official_010) is the one you send to a GM — Klare carrying the ball along the sideline in stride, four MSU defensive backs in pursuit, and he's holding or gaining separation. That's not tight end athleticism. That's wide receiver athleticism in a 6'4" frame. The Ohio State home-game open-field frame (official_017) tells the same story: a defender in trail position getting left behind around the 40-yard line, Klare running free with smooth, elongated strides. The spring game frame at Ohio State (film_002) shows a quick-twitch release off the line that most TEs can't match — no laboring out of his stance, no delay.


His change of direction is legitimate (noted specifically by the AZ Film Room analysts as "easy, smooth cuts" — film_009, film_010). The flip side is that his long speed — pure top-end 40-yard-dash type speed — is flagged as an area of concern in the Big Boards report (highlights_004). Watching the film, he's clearly better at acceleration and short-area burst than he is at running away from safeties over 30+ yards. That's a distinction worth understanding: he's not going to blow the lid off coverage against NFL-caliber safeties, but he will absolutely cook linebackers and nickel corners on intermediate routes.


Hands & Catching — **B / 6.5**


The good news: when Klare is in rhythm and the ball is in his catch zone, he looks the part. The Washington/Kansas State frame (official_014) is outstanding — full arm extension above his head, contested catch near the sideline against tight man coverage. His hands are positioned correctly (above the eyes, fingers spread), and he's tracking the ball to his hands rather than body-catching. The Illinois catch frame (official_016) shows clean ball security on a routine possession grab, and the Illinois game-tape shows him as a reliable chain-mover in drive situations.


The bad news: that 8.9% drop rate doesn't come from nowhere. For context, that ranked 46th in the sample — nearly bottom half of the TE pool despite a top-five YPRR. What that means is he's creating separation and getting targets, but he's occasionally letting the ball go through his hands at a rate that will absolutely get him benched in the NFL. There's no drop in these 55 frames specifically, but the stat doesn't lie. Whether this is technique (hands vs. body) or focus/concentration issues needs to be answered before the draft. It's the one flag that keeps him from being a consensus top-50 prospect.


Grade caveat: A corrected drop rate would push this to a B+.


YAC & After Contact — **A / 9.0**


This is where Klare separates from the TE pack in this class. The YAC profile on film is elite:


  • The Michigan State sideline run (official_010): four DBs closing, he beats them all to the boundary
  • The Ohio State home-game breakaway (official_017): open-field acceleration showing he can turn short receptions into 20-25 yard gains
  • The Penn State sideline frame (official_008): breaking a diving tackle attempt along the boundary and staying on his feet — that's balance and functional strength combined
  • The Iowa/Minnesota physical frame (official_015): absorbing a tackle wrap and driving forward through contact, protecting the ball

    • His 6.6 YAC/rec (15th among TEs) and 2.22 YPRR (5th) tell the same story the film tells. He's not just catching screens and getting 3 yards — he's catching intermediate routes and turning them into 8-10 yard gains, or catching short stuff and turning it into explosive plays. This is the dynasty-relevant trait. In PPR formats, a TE who can routinely add YAC yards is worth a full-round premium.


    Blocking — **C+ / 5.0**


    This is the honest limitation and the primary reason Klare won't be a top-20 pick. At 236 pounds, he's on the lighter end of the TE spectrum, and the blocking film in these frames shows the coaching staff knows it. He's used in heavy packages near the goal line at Wisconsin (official_004) — he's there, he's engaged, pad level is acceptable — but there's no evidence of dominant run-blocking or of him winning physical battles against Big Ten edge defenders in space. The AZ Film Room analysts specifically called out "blocking technique" as an area to improve (film_009, film_010), and NFL Draft Big Boards echoes it (highlights_004).


    At Ohio State, with Chip Kelly and the spread-heavy system, he's not being asked to be a complete tight end in the run game the way he would be at, say, Kansas City under Andy Reid. But the NFL is the NFL — every team wants a TE who can hold a point in the run game on at least early downs. Right now, Klare is a liability in true inline blocking situations against power rushers. He needs a 15-20 lb functional strength add and deliberate technique work (hand placement, anchor) before he projects as even an adequate blocker at the next level.


    Scheme Fit — **A- / 8.5**


    The alignment split tells the story: 47% slot, 48% inline, 5% wide. He's an every-down player who can stay on the field in any personnel grouping, which is exactly what modern NFL offenses want at TE. He fits best in spread-influenced or 11-personnel-heavy offenses that will flex him out and create linebacker/safety mismatches. Think: Kansas City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Cincinnati, New Orleans. He does not fit as a traditional in-line "Y" in a power-run, two-TE offense. His usage pattern at Ohio State (getting targeted in key third-down situations against ranked opponents) confirms he's a primary receiving option, not just a checkdown — that maps well to an NFL role as a move TE or flex piece.



    Strengths Summary


  • Open-field speed that defies his position — Klare outrunning four MSU defensive backs along the sideline is the play that's going to light up NFL scouts' eyes (official_010). No tape-manufactured stat — this is a live-game speed test.

  • Elite receiving efficiency at Purdue — 2.22 YPRR (5th nationally) on a team that went 1-11 (highlights_003). When your QB is posting 4/9, 16 yards, 1 INT (official_011 — Purdue vs. Indiana), and your TE still has one of the most efficient receiving profiles in the country, that says something about what this player does in the passing game when the ball actually gets to him.

  • High-point catching ability — The contested catch at the sideline vs. Washington/Kansas State (official_014) is NFL-level skill: full extension, hands above the head, tracking the ball through contact. Not every TE can do that.

  • Versatile deployment — Fluid in both slot and inline alignments, runs routes from multiple alignments without a noticeable tell in his release or stem (highlights_003-006, official_005).

  • Transferred to Ohio State and immediately contributed — This is undervalued. Going from a 1-11 Purdue team to the #1 team in the country and getting snaps against Kansas State, Illinois, and Michigan State means he passed the eye test at the highest level of college football (official_012-018).

  • Smooth cuts for a big man — Change of direction is genuinely plus-athleticism territory, not "good for a tight end" territory. The spring game release (film_002) and the route stems visible across the game film show effortless lateral movement.


    • Concerns & Risks


  • The drop problem is real. 8.9% drop rate (46th percentile) despite top-5 efficiency is a red flag. In the NFL, you don't get targeted if you drop balls. This is the single biggest thing keeping him from a first-round conversation. Until there's a correction, every team will price in missed production.

  • Blocking is a genuine limitation. At 236 lbs, he cannot anchor against a 260-lb defensive end in the NFL. He needs mass and technique both. Until he proves he can hold a point in the run game, he's a 60-65% snap player at best — and that caps his dynasty ceiling in any offense that wants a two-way TE.

  • Purdue context. He produced at Purdue, but Purdue was truly one of the worst Power Five teams in recent memory. The defenses he played against weren't always sending NFL-caliber coverage players at him. Ohio State elevated him to better competition, but it was only one season of transfers and the film sample is limited (official_012-018).

  • Weight at entry. 236 lbs at the 2026 Combine is going to raise eyebrows from teams who want a complete tight end. Most elite receiving TEs who succeed at the NFL level are 245-255+ lbs. He'll need to add weight without losing his athleticism — that's not a given.

  • Long speed ceiling. The scouting consensus (highlighted in highlights_003-006) flags his top-end speed as a weakness. He accelerates beautifully but doesn't have the burst to consistently threaten defenses at 20+ yards. In the NFL, safeties will rally to him on deeper routes in ways that Big Ten safeties couldn't.

  • Limited blocking film available. The sample doesn't include enough inline run-blocking reps to fully evaluate this facet. That uncertainty itself is a risk — teams spending a Day 2 pick want to know what they're getting on all 60% of plays where the TE is asked to block.


    • NFL Comp


    Primary: Evan Engram (Jacksonville Jaguars)

    This comp was specifically called out by the NFL Draft Big Boards analysts (highlights_003-006) and it's accurate. Engram is the exact archetype: big frame, lightweight for the position at entry, elite receiver with a history of drops, minimal blocking value, open-field speed that made him dangerous as a move TE. Klare's combination of receiving efficiency, athleticism, drop concerns, and blocking limitations maps almost perfectly. Engram was a first-round pick who took 5+ years to fully develop into a reliable, drop-free receiving TE — dynasty managers who draft Klare should expect a similar curve. The ceiling is an 80-catch, 1,000-yard season in a pass-heavy system.


    Secondary: Cole Kmet (Chicago Bears) — lower ceiling version

    If Klare fixes his drops and adds blocking reliability, a more complete TE emerges — the kind of chess piece who plays 85% of snaps, catches 60-70 balls, and doesn't create liability in the run game. Kmet is a closer comp in terms of size/athleticism ceiling (6'6", 255 lbs) but the comparison is useful for illustrating what Klare's floor looks like with development: solid starter, 55-65 catch guy, not a fantasy TE1 but a consistent contributor.



    Bottom Line


    Klare is one of the more interesting TE prospects in this 2026 class specifically because of where the upside comes from — it's the athleticism and receiving efficiency, not just the school or scheme. His YPRR production came on a genuinely terrible offense, and his Ohio State transition proved he belongs at a high level. The drops and blocking limitations are real, but they're correctable — and if he shows up at the Combine at 245 lbs with clean hands in drills, he could push into the late first round. For dynasty, buy his athleticism and development curve while other managers are scared off by the drop rate.



    SCOUT SCORE

    Score: 72/100

    Projected Pick: R2, Pick 35-55



    Film Score: 72 / 100

    Scout 2Independent Analysis84 / 100

    Scout 2 Report: Max Klare, TE, Ohio State


    The Short Version

    Klare's a smooth mover with reliable mitts who feasts in the seams, but the \"best TE in the '26 class\" buzz is portal-transfer hype— he's a Day 2 seam-stretcher who'll get exposed in the run game without serious blocking gains.


    Measurables & Background

    | Trait | Detail |

    |----------------|-------------------------|

    | Height | 6'4\" |

    | Weight | 240 lbs |

    | Age | 22 |

    | School | Ohio State (trans. from Purdue) |

    | Class | Sr |

    | Recruiting | 3-star (#48 TE, 247Sports); Cincinnati (OH) St. Xavier HS |

    | 2024 Stats (Purdue) | 51 rec, 685 yds, 4 TD (13.4 YPR) |

    | Career Games | 19 |


    Film Sources

    | Source | Duration | # Frames | Prefix |

    |---------------------------------|----------|----------|------------|

    | A to Z Sports Film Room — Ohio State TE Max Klare Scouting Report | 5:21 | 18 | film_ |

    | Big Ten Football — 2026 NFL DRAFT HIGHLIGHTS: TE Max Klare | 7:54 | 18 | official_ |

    | NFL Draft Big Boards — Max Klare Summer Scouting Report | 9:23 | 19 | highlights_ |


    Film Analysis

    Key TE Traits (graded X/10 + letter):


  • Size/Length: 9/10 (A-) — Frames show long frame, high-points seams effortlessly (official_005 contested grab over defender; film_002 blocking stance leverages height).
  • Hands/Catching: 9/10 (A-) — Elite ball skills, attacks throws away from frame (official_003 sideline toe-tap; highlights_010 snow glove grab; film_ strengths graphic calls \"reliable\").
  • Route Running: 7/10 (B-) — Fluid COD but telegraphs breaks vs press (highlights_003 vs Illinois, early lean; official_007 seam but rounded top; contrarian: raw for separation man-coverage).
  • Blocking: 6/10 (C+) — Drive power in phone booth but washed by speed (official_004 vs edge washout; film_011 struggles sustain; highlights_006 drive but loses angle).
  • Speed/Explosion: 8/10 (B+) — Quick accel off line, tracks vertically (official_015 Indiana YAC burst; highlights_017 vs OSU rivals stride opens).
  • YAC/Body Control: 8/10 (B+) — Balances through contact, stiff-arms (official_012 Penn St hurdle vision; highlights_005 spin move).

    • Overall Grade: B


    Strengths

  • Seam mismatch hunter: High-points contested balls with ideal length (official_005 leap over DB; highlights_011 LSU purple fight-through).
  • Post-catch violence: Fluid hips into YAC, breaks tackles (official_001 TD celly after stiffarm; highlights_016 OSU game stride).
  • Release quickness: Fires off line vs jam (highlights_002 quick flip; film_005 athleticism graphic).
  • Versatile receiver: Seam/post comfort, reliable hands in traffic (official_018 purple contested; film_006 stats show YPR pop).

    • Concerns

    Klare plays big but lacks anchor power—gets upright/loses leverage blocking speed rushers (official_004 edge slip; highlights_004 angle loss). Routes lack nuance, stems predictable vs zone (highlights_003 telegraph). Transfer shine masks limited snaps vs elite competition; OSU year must prove blocking pop or busts as move TE only. Average long speed caps deep threat (official_013 overhead no burner gear).


    Dynasty Outlook

    Y1: Rotational seam/YAC weapon in pass-happy scheme (e.g., SF, KC backups). Y2: TE2 flex in 11-pers. Y3: Starter upside if blocks refine. Fits Shanahan-trees or McVay offenses needing move-TE; avoid run-heavy fronts.


    NFL Comp

  • Floor: Hunter Henry — reliable hands/target hog, but blocking limits snaps.
  • Ceiling: Sam LaPorta — seam/YAC dynamo with starter traits if technique polishes.

    • Bottom Line

    Klare's a plug-and-play receiver with Day 2 juice, but don't buy the R1 hype—needs Ohio State to forge him into a three-down asset or fades to TE20 in dynasty.


    SCOUT SCORE

    Score: 84/100

    Projected Pick: R2, Pick 35-50


    Film Score: 84 / 100

    College Stats

    2025–26 season

    43
    Receptions
    448
    Rec Yards
    10.4
    YPR
    2
    Rec TDs
    39
    Long

    Measurables

    ● = confirmed at the Combine. Pre-combine estimates shown where unconfirmed.

    Height6'4"CONFIRMED
    Weight240 lbsCONFIRMED
    40-Yard Dash—NOT CONFIRMED
    Vertical Jump—NOT CONFIRMED
    Broad Jump—NOT CONFIRMED
    Bench Press—NOT CONFIRMED
    3-Cone Drill—NOT CONFIRMED
    Shuttle Run—NOT CONFIRMED
    Arm Length32.13"CONFIRMED
    Hand Size9.13"CONFIRMED