Nate Roberts has a chance to become Ohio State’s most complete tight end in years

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Ohio State’s tight end room will look very different in 2026. Gone are the clearly defined roles that existed a season ago. Max Klare was the dynamic receiving threat who stretched defenses vertically and created mismatches in space, while Will Kacmarek handled much of the blocking and the dirty work. He lined up next to offensive tackles, battled defensive ends for four quarters, sealed the edge in the run game, and gave Ryan Day someone he could trust in every heavy personnel package.

This season, Ohio State needs one player to bridge those two roles, and that player is expected to be Nate Roberts. The former four-star recruit enters the season as the projected TE1, but his job description extends well beyond leading the room in receptions. Roberts is being asked to become the complete tight end that every offense so highly covets. Someone who can threaten defenses down the seam one snap, cave in the edge on an outside zone run the next, stay in to protect Julian Sayin against elite pass rushers, and then motion across the formation without giving the defense any indication of what is coming.

If Roberts develops into that player, Ohio State’s offense becomes significantly more dangerous. If he does not, the Buckeyes can obviously still be very good, but one of the offense’s most important chess pieces may never fully materialize.

The rare tight end capable of doing everything

Roberts arrived in Columbus as one of the nation’s premier tight end recruits. The Oklahoma native finished his high school career with 42 receptions for 848 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior, averaging more than 20 yards per catch while showcasing the athleticism that made him one of the top tight ends in the 2025 recruiting class. At 6-foot-5 and roughly 240 pounds, he possessed the frame of a traditional inline tight end, but his movement skills immediately separated him from many players at the position.

Ohio State saw more than a receiving threat. They saw versatility. Even as a true freshman, Roberts appeared in all 13 games and was trusted with responsibilities that extended well beyond running routes. He finished the season with four receptions for 30 yards, but those numbers barely scratched the surface of his role. The Buckeyes lined him up in line, used him as an H-back, motioned him across formations, asked him to split-zone block, and even handed him the football twice. For a freshman tight end, earning that level of trust is highly uncommon.

That early usage matters because tight end remains one of the most difficult positions to play in Ryan Day’s offense. Blocking assignments change every week. Route responsibilities change every series. Protection calls require communication with the offensive line. Freshmen rarely handle all of those responsibilities unless coaches believe they are capable of becoming complete players, and Ohio State clearly believed Roberts could. Now comes the next step.

Replacing two players with one

Last season’s tight end room functioned because responsibilities were divided. Klare was primarily the receiving option. While Kacmarek handled much of the heavy lifting as an inline blocker. But Roberts is expected to do both, and that is what makes his role so fascinating.

When Ohio State aligns in 12 personnel, Roberts may be the player stretching the seam while Mason Williams handles many of the traditional blocking responsibilities. But on the very next drive, Roberts could be attached to the line of scrimmage, matching up directly against an All-Big Ten defensive end.

The Buckeyes do not want defenses identifying tendencies based on personnel. If Roberts is only a receiver, opponents can anticipate pass-heavy concepts. If he becomes a complete blocker, suddenly every formation becomes unpredictable. That versatility creates enormous value.

Defenses can no longer assume whether Ohio State intends to run outside zone, call play-action, throw RPOs, or attack vertically because Roberts remains equally capable of executing every assignment. Few positions influence offensive flexibility more than tight end. The best ones don’t always lead the team in receiving, but they consistently make offenses more difficult to defend. That is exactly what Ohio State believes Roberts can become.

Why his development could define the offense

The encouraging part for Ohio State is that Roberts will not be carrying the room alone. Mason Williams projects to handle a significant workload as one of the team’s most reliable blockers after transferring from Ohio University. Bennett Christian provides valuable experience within the offense, while Northwestern transfer Hunter Welcing offers another veteran receiving option capable of contributing throughout the season.

That depth allows Roberts to grow into the position rather than forcing him to shoulder every responsibility immediately. Still, if Ohio State reaches its offensive ceiling, Roberts likely becomes the centerpiece of the room. The Buckeyes have elite receivers on the outside. They have one of the country’s most talented young quarterbacks in Julian Sayin. The offensive line returns four starters and projects to improve entering another season together.

The final piece may be having a tight end who never forces substitutions because he can legitimately handle every situation. That means staying on the field for first-and-10. Third-and-eight. Goal line. Four-minute offense. Two-minute drill.

When the same tight end remains on the field in every situation, defenses lose valuable information before the snap, and that advantage cannot be overstated. Ohio State has had outstanding receiving tight ends. They have had excellent blocking tight ends. But finding one capable of excelling in both roles at the same time has been far less common.

The player who could unlock another level

The expectations surrounding Roberts extend beyond statistics. Could he lead the tight ends in receptions? Absolutely. Could he become one of Julian Sayin’s favorite targets over the middle of the field? Very likely. But those numbers will only tell part of the story. His greatest value may come in the snaps that never appear in the box score. The block that springs Bo Jackson for a 30-yard run. The protection pickup that gives Sayin an extra second to find Jeremiah Smith deep. The ability to stay on the field regardless of personnel package or game situation.

Those are the plays that separate good tight ends from complete ones. Ohio State already knows Roberts has the athletic ability to become a dangerous receiving weapon. The question entering 2026 is whether he can become equally dependable in every other aspect of the position.

If the answer is yes, the Buckeyes will not simply have a new TE1. They may have their most complete tight end in years, and one of the quietest difference makers on an offense capable of competing for another national championship.

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