Grading the pick: Los Angeles Rams got some long-term Klare-ity at key position by selecting Ohio State tight end Max Klare
The Los Angeles Rams have added another offensive weapon around Matthew Stafford, selecting Ohio State tight end Max Klare in the second round.
The Los Angeles Rams have now made their second pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, selecting Ohio State tight end Max Klare.
A day after adding Ty Simpson, the Rams turn around and give Matthew Stafford another playmaker in the tight end room.
Los Angeles Rams bolster key position room moving forward
Klare was already a very good receiving tight end at Purdue prior to the 2025 season, when he could have entered the draft. Instead, he transferred to Ohio State to become a more complete player, getting stronger and improving as a run blocker.
The 6-foot-4, 246-pound Indiana native is a smooth runner with an expanded route tree, allowing him to win as a true tight end. Ohio State didn’t give Klare high-volume looks simply because they didn’t need to, but I expect that to change at the pro level, where he can be a featured option at times.
Brandon Little
The Rams broke out a new offensive look last season when they moved to a heavy tight end personnel offense. After a decade of running a three wide receiver 11-personnel oriented offense, McVay threw a curveball midway through 2025 with 12 and 13-personnel looks.
Terrance Ferguson, Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higbee, and Davis Allen all enjoyed tremendous success in the Rams’ new look offense. With Parkinson and Allen on expiring contracts, the Rams need to bolster their depth at tight end and add a long-term playmaker alongside Ferguson.
Max Klare can do a bit of everything as a tight end. He’s a high-effort run blocker, he can threaten up the seams, and he’s outstanding settling down and finding holes in zone coverage. There’s some hidden athleticism there. Klare can do some damage after the catch with his speed. He’s not much of a tackle breaker, but he’s a pullaway threat with his speed.
Perhaps the best trait about Klare is his reliability as a receiver. Klare dropped just two balls on 55 targets, and he attacks the ball well in the air. I love his ability to adjust and contort his body in the air to snag passes away from his frame.
I don’t think he has the mass or size to be a really effective blocker, which makes the pick a little hesitant for me as the running mate for Ferguson. Both Ferguson and Klare should be detached from the line of scrimmage and moved around, instead of being deployed inline like a traditional tight end. I’ll be interested to see how that works out long-term, but this is a strong addition for the Rams at the end of round two.
Grade: B+
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