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We’re most of the way through the College Football Playoff and bowl season is wrapping up. Most prospects have finished putting out tape in their college careers, so it’s time to officially unveil my updated position rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Today I’m ranking my top 10 tight ends, and this is a fun class. There isn’t the elite, top-end talent that we enjoyed last year, but this is a deep group. If you need a tight end on Day 2, you have a lot of options, and there are plenty of role players and developmental guys available on Day 3. Plus, there is one player likely to go in the first round.
If you’d like to check out my other updated position rankings, you can do so below:
A three-star recruit from Indiana, Klare played both quarterback and tight end in high school before settling into the latter position with the Boilermakers. He flashed high-end potential as a true freshman in 2023, but only played five games due to injury. His breakout season came as a sophomore, when he had 51 receptions for 685 yards and four touchdowns at Purdue, earning third-team All-Big Ten recognition. After the season, he transferred to the Buckeyes, earning consensus first-team All-Big Ten honors behind 43 catches for 448 yards and two touchdowns.
Standing at 6-5, 243 pounds, Klare is an elite route runner for the position. He can beat linebackers down the field and is too big for safeties and corners to match at the catch point. As a result, both Purdue and Ohio State would hunt mismatches with him, lining him up in creative ways to get the matchup they wanted. Klare is fast and can decelerate surprisingly well for a man his size, creating consistent separation down the field. After the catch, he’s got some juice, though he’s more liable to run through someone than make them miss in the open field. At the catch point, he’s got big, soft hands and impressive body control, making tough catches look easy in traffic or on the sideline.
As a blocker, Klare showed consistent improvement throughout his college career. He’s tenacious on contact, driving forward and working great in combination with the offensive line. Despite his reputation as a receiver first, he has the strength to hold his own against defensive linemen. He maximizes his strength and blocks fundamentally sound in every aspect. But he is at his best in the passing game, where he owns the middle of the field. Klare is undaunted going into traffic and has such a natural feel for where to attack zone coverages.
Like most tight ends, Klare will struggle in pass protection if he’s left on an island against twitchy edge rushers. Despite his improvements in this area, that’s asking too much, as is asking him to solo drive...
