The Kansas City Chiefs began looking to the future at tight end over the past several years. The team gave backup Noah Gray a three-year contract extension and selected Jared Wiley in the fourth round in 2024. However, general manager Brett Veach may need to make a larger splash if he wants to find an heir to 35-year-old Travis Kelce.

Unlike this past NFL draft, which featured two first round tight ends, the 2026 class lacks superstar talent. Despite the absence of blue-chip prospects at the position, several tight ends still possess the potential to step in as immediate contributors and become above-average starters.

Max Klare emerged as the face of Purdue’s disappointing offense in 2024. He fought uphill against poor quarterback play and a barren supporting cast to make 51 receptions for 685 yards and four touchdowns. Most college offenses neglect tight ends, so those numbers stand out as significant on a national level.  

Klare is undersized at 6’4″, 236 lbs., but that puts him in roughly the same range for height and weight as current Lions tight end Sam LaPorta. Like LaPorta, Klare is an excellent route runner and displays abnormally high fluidity for a tight end. His footwork and body control let him execute a wide range of route fakes that make him stand out among his peers.

Klare struggles to separate from nickels and some safeties, but linebackers and other box players struggle to stick with him. His sudden deceleration and quickness create sharply executed curls, digs and out routes. This ability to win at the short and intermediate levels makes Klare a chain-moving machine.

Klare lacks elite downfield speed but is fast enough that defenses must respect him on seam routes. He excels against zone coverage, displaying an instinctive feel for gaps in coverage. Klare won’t hit many home runs after the catch, but his combination of speed and vision helps him find some hidden yardage.

Klare is a fluid player but only an average athlete, especially for an undersized tight end. He displays impressive effort in the run game but lacks the play strength and mass to contribute as an in-line blocker. Linemen, linebackers and even some box safeties outclass him in the trenches.

Now at Ohio State, Klare is poised to cement himself as either a second or early third round pick.