Ohio State football tight end Max Klare to declare for NFL draft

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Ohio State tight end Max Klare is forgoing his final year of eligibility to enter the NFL draft.

Klare made that announcement on social media on Jan. 13, the day before the deadline for underclassmen to file for early entry.

His declaration seemed inevitable after the Buckeyes began bolstering the position group during the offseason transfer portal window. In a span of little more than a week, they signed two transfer tight ends between Northwestern’s Hunter Welcing and Ohio’s Mason Williams.   

Klare provided a dependable pass-catching target in his one season with the Buckeyes, recording 43 receptions for 448 yards and two touchdowns as a complement to Ohio State’s dynamic receiving duo of Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate. Only Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq had more receptions among Big Ten tight ends.

A Cincinnati native who transferred to Ohio State from Purdue last offseason, the 6-foot-5, 243-pound tight end was also named a first-team all-conference selection in 2025.

Klare spent his first two seasons with the Boilermakers and broke out as a sophomore when he had 51 receptions for 685 yards and four touchdowns, emerging as one of the nation’s more sure-handed tight ends.

Klare joins wide receiver Carnell Tate, defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, linebacker Arvell Reese and safety Caleb Downs as one of Ohio State’s five early entrants for the draft.

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Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow along on Bluesky, Instagram and X for more.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 2026 NFL Draft: Ohio State football TE Max Klare to declare

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