Ohio State plucks top transfer portal tight end target from Big 10 foe
12/23/2024 06:01 PM
Ohio State football didn’t trek far to bolster its offense moving forward into 2025. The Buckeyes snatched a prized tight end from a Big 10 Conference foe. Max Klare of Purdue is off to Ohio State, he told ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel Monday.
Klare rose as the top transfer portal tight end available by numerous national recruiting outlets. He left West Lafayette, Indiana with 51 receptions, 685 yards, and scored five touchdowns.
Klare, though, is leaving amid a coaching transition. Barry Odom enters the campus as the next Boilermakers coach. Klare jumped to the portal during the coaching change.
The 6-foot-4, 240-pounder also is leaving his home state of Indiana. He committed to former head coach Ryan Walters as a native of Guilford. However, he starred for St. Xavier High in Cincinnati. So he’s also returning to the state of Ohio.
Ohio State beats 1 CFP qualifier for ex-Purdue tight end
As stacked Ohio State’s incoming 2025 class looks, the Buckeyes have had a rather quiet portal recruiting period. Obviously the College Football Playoffs have a lot to do with it.
However, the Buckeyes swoop up Klare after a late push from one CFP qualifier. Texas was in pursuit of the Purdue TE, per Bill Kurelic of 247Sports. The Longhorns joined the Buckeyes into the quarterfinal round on Saturday. Texas rolled 38-24 over Clemson in Austin. Ohio State pummeled Tennessee 42-17 in the prime time playoff contest in Columbus.
Texas wasn’t the only power conference representative linked to Klare. Michigan, Texas A&M, and Louisville also went after Klare in the portal according to Kurelic.
Klare to Ohio State is an aggressive move for the Buckeyes. Not just because of his pure talent and athleticism. But TE isn’t even considered an immense need in Columbus. The Buckeyes can welcome back Will Kacmarek, Bennett Christian, and Jelani Thurman in the TE room. Klare, however, was simply too good of a talent to pass up. He now gets the chance to team with dynamic freshman WR Jeremiah Smith ahead of ’25.
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