Honestly, when Max Klare decided to leave Purdue for Columbus, people thought it was a simple "rich get richer" story. It wasn't. The 6-foot-5 tight end didn't just walk into the Woody Hayes Athletic Center and become a star overnight.
He had to fight for every snap.
Moving from being the focal point of the Purdue offense to a cog in the high-octane machine at Ohio State is a culture shock. Most fans saw the transfer and assumed he’d be the next Cade Stover immediately. But the transition for Max Klare at Ohio State was actually a masterclass in how modern players have to sacrifice raw stats for professional development.
The Reality of the Move
Let's talk numbers. At Purdue in 2024, Klare was the guy. He hauled in 51 catches for 685 yards. He led the Boilermakers in basically every receiving category that mattered. When he hit the portal, he was ranked as the No. 1 tight end available.
Then he got to Ohio State.
Suddenly, he was sharing the field with Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate. You don’t just "demand" the ball when you have the best receiving corps in the country. Klare’s production naturally dipped to 43 receptions for 448 yards in 2025. To the casual observer, that looks like a step back.
It wasn't.
Why the Rutgers Game Changed Everything
If you want to know why NFL scouts are salivating over him despite the lower yardage, look at the Rutgers game on November 15, 2025. Both Smith and Tate were out. The "explosive" Buckeye offense looked like it might stall.
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Klare stepped up.
He caught seven passes for 105 yards and a touchdown. He proved that he wasn't just a "safety valve" but a legitimate primary target who could carry the load when the stars were sidelined. It was the moment everyone realized why Chip Kelly and Ryan Day pushed so hard to get him out of the portal.
The NFL Draft Decision
Just a few days ago, on January 13, 2026, the news broke: Max Klare is entering the 2026 NFL Draft.
He’s forgoing his final year of eligibility. Some people are surprised. They think he could have stayed one more year to put up monster numbers with Julian Sayin entering his second full year as a starter. But Klare has nothing left to prove in college.
He’s already a First-Team All-Big Ten selection (2025). He’s shown he can block in a pro-style system, even if his functional strength is still a "work in progress" as some scouts say.
The Draft projections are pretty solid right now:
- Projection: Late Day 2 to early Day 3 (Rounds 3-4).
- Comparison: Often compared to Dawson Knox for his vertical threat and YAC ability.
- Stock: Rising after a strong showing in the Cotton Bowl despite the team's loss to Miami.
What's Next for the Buckeyes?
With Klare gone, the Ohio State tight end room is looking... thin.
Jelani Thurman is in the portal heading to North Carolina. Will Kacmarek is out of eligibility. It’s a total overhaul. The coaching staff has already been busy, bringing in Mason Williams from Ohio University and Hunter Welcing from Northwestern.
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They’re basically trying to replicate the Klare model: find a proven production guy from a smaller or different system and polish them in Columbus.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're following the Buckeyes or prepping for your 2026 NFL Draft big board, keep these three things in mind:
- Watch the Combine Vertical: Klare’s "explosive first step" is his best trait. If he jumps well, his stock will jump into the mid-second round.
- Don't ignore the blocking: Scouts are looking at his 2025 tape more than his Purdue tape because he was asked to do more "dirty work" in Ryan Day’s system.
- The "Sayin" Connection: Watch how Julian Sayin adjusts next year. Klare was his security blanket. Without him, the middle of the field might look very different for the Buckeyes in 2026.
Max Klare’s time in Columbus was short—just one season—but it was exactly what he needed to bridge the gap between "good college player" and "NFL-ready prospect." He bet on himself by moving to a more crowded room, and it looks like that bet is about to pay off in April.