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Todd McShay

Find the most comprehensive analysis on [Player Name], featuring Todd McShay’s evaluations. Official measurables, advanced analytics, and a scout’s eye provide the most in-depth breakdown of a prospect’s strengths and weaknesses, NFL draft projection, and potential at the next level.

Tight End

Max Klare

Grade76 /100
Pos Rank3
OVR Rank83
School
OSU

Experience

Played31
Started27

POSITION STATS LAST SEASON

Receiving
Catches43
YDS448
YPC10.4
TDs2
Todd McShay

Position-Specific Grades

COMBINE RESULTS

Height
6' 4"
Weight
246lbs
ARM
32 1/8"
HAND
9 1/8"
Todd McShay

The Takeaway

The Player

Klare projects as a dependable, high-floor tight end whose value comes from his efficiency, feel, and run-after-the-catch ability rather than his vertical explosiveness. Across stops at Purdue and Ohio State, his production reflected his ability as a consistent chain mover who can be featured in underneath and intermediate concepts.

Klare’s receiving game is built on polish and instincts. He’s a fluid, controlled route runner with a strong understanding of spacing, particularly against zone. He does a good job of using leverage to shield defenders and presents a reliable target on crossers, sticks, and option routes. While he won’t consistently threaten defenses down the seam, he creates separation early and maintains it with his body positioning and timing.

His standout ability is what he does after the catch. Klare transitions upfield quickly and runs with balance and strength, regularly generating extra yards through contact. His YAC production puts him in line stylistically with players like Sam LaPorta, Trey McBride, and Jake Ferguson—tight ends who win underneath and turn short gains into meaningful ones.

His hands are generally trustworthy. While there are occasional concentration drops on tape, his drop rate is low and trending in the right direction, and he shows comfort catching in traffic.

As a blocker, he’s serviceable but still developing. His effort and willingness are there, but inconsistencies in his pad level and hand placement limit his ability to sustain blocks. Still, his frame and versatility (in-line and flex) suggest that he can improve enough to stay on the field in multiple personnel groupings.

The Draft

Klare is one of the top five prospects in the back-loaded but deep 2026 tight end class.  He is likely to come off the board in Round 3. 

The Projection

Route IQ, reliability, and YAC. Those are the three traits that all overachieving tight ends possess coming out of the draft. Klare is very good in all three areas—and that’s why I see shades of Dalton Schultz (Texans), Cole Kmet (Bears), and Ferguson (Cowboys) in his game.  Klare should immediately contribute as a versatile no. 2 tight end, and he has enough size and athleticism to emerge as a team’s TE1. He’s best suited for a play-action-heavy offense that features the tight end on a lot of delayed releases, crossers, middle-field spacing concepts, stick concepts, and so on. Think the 49ers, Vikings, Rams, Eagles, and Chiefs, among others.