Max Klare, top tight end in the transfer portal, chooses Ohio State

Former Purdue tight end Max Klare has committed to Ohio State, he told ESPN. He is the No. 1 tight end in the NCAA transfer portal in ESPN’s rankings.

Klare is a redshirt sophomore who has two years of eligibility remaining. With 51 passes for 685 yards and four receiving touchdowns, he emerged as one of the most productive tight ends in the country in 2024. Each of these numbers led the Boilermakers.

He noted that coach Ryan Day’s history of developing players and the plan presented to him by offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and tight ends coach Keenan Bailey played a large role in his decision.

“Really when it came to making the decision, Coach Day’s ability to develop players and send them to the NFL, the development process was huge for me,” Klare told ESPN.

He added that the program’s annual cap also played a role in the decision.

“Just an opportunity to win a national championship, develop into a better player and play against the best competition day in and day out,” Klare said, “and being around a lot of like-minded people that will push me to be my best give.” best.”

As ESPN’s No. 20 player in this transfer portal class, he chose Ohio State over strong interest from Texas, Michigan, Louisville and Texas A&M.

Clear commitment continues a strong week for Ohio State, which advanced to the first round of the College Football Playoff with a blowout win over Tennessee on Saturday night. Ohio State announced Monday that West Virginia transfer tailback CJ Donaldson had 2,058 career rushing yards and 31 touchdowns. The Buckeyes also received commitments from former Idaho State defensive end Logan George and former Minnesota offensive tackle Phillip Daniels on Monday.

Ohio State prioritized Klare as a starting target after recognizing Big Ten production and the potential of his 6-foot-1, 200-pound frame.

Klare is from Guilford, Indiana, on the outskirts of Cincinnati. He attended St.

Klare noted that it was only about an hour and 40 minutes drive for his family to see him play.

“I played high school football in Ohio,” he said. “Coming back to Ohio and playing college football was really cool for me to be able to do that and stay close to my family at the same time.”

Klare redshirted at Purdue in 2022 and only appeared in one game. In 2023, he played five games and started four times before an injury cut his season short. In that stint, he had 22 catches for 196 yards in 2023.

His breakthrough came in 2024, when he ranked No. 6 among tight ends nationally in receiving yards and caught 33 passes that converted into first downs.

He said he’s looking forward to going against Ohio State’s star safety Caleb Downs every day at practice. Downs will be one of the best defensive players in college football in 2025.

“Playing against him every day and then going out and playing on Saturday makes the preparation a lot easier,” he said. “The opportunity to compete with the best every day is huge for your own development.”

Klare said he was impressed with the staff and the plan they presented to him.

“There was a great connection with Coach (Bailey),” he said. “We see many things the same. He is a hungry coach who will push me to do my best and get the most out of myself.”

ESPN’s Max Olson contributed reporting.