While Ohio State focuses on defending the national championship, its tight end addressed his future. Max Klare, the Purdue transfer, arrived at Ohio State intending to become a complete tight end before entering the NFL Draft. When asked whether he had accomplished that goal or would return for the 2026 season, his answer was quite unexpected.

Max Klare, while speaking about Ohio State’s preparation for the Cotton Bowl, announced that his NFL decision is yet to be made. He also revealed that his decision will be based on numerous parameters.

“No, I think, personally, I always have a lot of room to grow in all aspects of my game,” said Klare on the December 27 press conference, ahead of the Cotton Bowl. “And it’s something that I still have to decide on, and have conversations and figure that out.

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I think in terms of room to grow, I’ve got all aspects of the game. Whether that’s in the run game, pass game, always looking for improvement, and just to grow as a player, just as anyone would. And there’s just a lot of factors that come into play with that.”

Obviously, it’s not going to be an easy decision for the tight end. The redshirt junior only had limited plays in the Ohio State offense, but some of his best games came in the latter part of the season.

The 6-foot-5 athlete before coming to Columbus spent two seasons with the Boilermakers, where he caught 73 passes for 881 yards and four touchdowns. Though he arrived with a mission to become a better tight end, he only repeated the production of his last two seasons. In his first season with the Buckeyes, he caught the ball 43 times for 448 yards and two scores.

If he elects to return to Ohio State next year, Klare’s experience will certainly be valued, as Will Kacmarek exhausts his eligibility by the end of the season. This would give him yet another season to learn and develop into a better tight end before entering the draft. With that being said, his scouting report reveals that he’s already in the conversation among the NFL scouts.

Max Klare’s NFL scouting report

NFL scouting reports reveal that Max Klare could be a standout TE2 in the 2026 NFL class, with some notable characteristics. According to ESPN’s Matt Miller report, the OSU tight end is currently projected as a round 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. NFL scouts see him as a well-coached and highly developed prospect who can make a mark quickly at the pro-level games.

On the other hand, NFL Draft analyst John Vogel reported that Klare is widely seen as a good receiver underneath in the sideline, and as a good downhill run blocker. He shows solid physicality after the catch, with good short bursts. However, he struggles to catch outside his frame, which is seen as the only con in his report.

Daniel Harms of Bleacher Report Scout sees Max Klare’s explosive presence, route nuance, and a catch-to-attack mentality stand out as an NFL prospect, though Ohio State hasn’t provided him the platform to show his full potential. Despite his NFL scouting report looking positive, the decision to go pro or return for the 2026 season is on him.