SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Ohio State tight end Max Klare is confident in his ability to enter the NFL.
“I feel like I’m ready for it,” Klare told the media at the NFL Combine in February, according to Eleven Warriors. “I’m ready for the next opportunity. Ready to go compete in the NFL, have a great career.”
The 2022 St. Xavier High School graduate is projected to be selected from the late first round to the third round when the NFL Draft starts April 23. All seven rounds will be televised on WCPO 9.
Klare is known for his versatility. He played one season at Ohio State after he spent three seasons at Purdue. He had 43 receptions for 448 yards and two touchdowns this past season for the Buckeyes.
It was a difficult decision to leave West Lafayette for another Big Ten program.
However, Klare embraced the challenge to be in Columbus this past season.
“It was awesome,” Klare said. “I went there to compete against the best every day. Whether that was going against (Ohio State linebacker) Sonny Styles or (Ohio State linebacker) Arvell Reese on inside drill and then going in one-on-ones against (Ohio State safety) Caleb Downs, I think every day I got better there.”
Klare, who was on the 2020 St. Xavier Division I state championship football team, was also a standout baseball player. He was a Greater Catholic League South Division first-team selection in 2022.
“When Max was going into his senior year, Major League Baseball was all over him,” St. Xavier football coach Steve Specht told WCPO 9 Sports. “He had an unbelievable summer. Just a tremendous athlete, obviously.”
“He’s such a talented young man athletically that he could be playing Major League Baseball or getting drafted to be an NFL football player right now.”
Klare, the son of St. Xavier Athletics Hall of Famer Andy Klare (1987 graduate), could’ve played quarterback for the Bombers, according to Specht.
“He could’ve been a heck of a linebacker,” Specht said. “Heck of a rush end. H-back. Very focused. When you get somebody with that much athletic ability, they have an edge to them. They have a sense of focus. It’s different from other kids just because they’ve been given so much more talent.”
Specht said Klare continued to improve throughout his Big Ten career. That will only help him in the NFL. Specht said he noticed how Klare improved as a blocker during the latter half of Ohio State’s season.
“It’s so funny but when you go from Purdue — Max is getting targeted ‘x’ number of times,” Specht said. “And he’s one of the leading receivers in the country. And then you go to Ohio State — they have this guy (wide receiver) Jeremiah Smith over here and you start pointing out — the Sonny Styles of the world, the Caleb Downs of the world, the Arvelle Reese — he’s around all of these NFL prospects — you better up your game. You better get a little bit better. That’s one of the things Max always did is he always improved his level. And he always wanted to be great.”
