Five years ago, Max LeBlanc had never played organized football. Now, he is an Ohio State Buckeye.
Maxence LeBlanc He catches, he runs, he blocks. He does it all at the highest level. Hailing from Montreal, Canada by way of Chattanooga, TN this 3-tool athlete is on his way to CBUS to energize the Buckeyes Tight End room with his versatility and grit. Welcome to THE pic.twitter.com/a9kAYGoOG3
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 20, 2023
LeBlanc was born to be an athlete.
His father, Sébastien, was a Canadian tennis star in the 90s. He won three junior Grand Slam trophies and represented the Great White North in the Davis Cup from 1994-97. It’s no surprise that LeBlanc was raised on the courts with a racket in his hands. He seemed destined to follow in his father’s footsteps.
But LeBlanc had other plans.
“Tennis wasn’t for me,” Max LeBlanc told The Montreal Gazette in July. “I’m more of a team player.”
LeBlanc tried out football. He loved it. And he was good at it, too.
The LeBlanc File
- Size: 6-4 / 226
- Pos: Tight End
- School: Baylor School (Chattanooga, Tennessee)
- Star Rating: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: #271 (#16 TE)
After a few seasons of football in Canada, his parents, who reside in St. Bruno, Quebec, enrolled him at Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennesee, in 2022. He became an instant star for the Red Raiders. That fall, he collected 39 receptions for 695 yards and three touchdowns as a wide receiver. He also showed promise as a tight end, opening lanes for Baylor School’s ballcarriers as a blocker.
After the season, he landed on Keenan Bailey’s radar.
Ohio State offered LeBlanc a scholarship on Jan. 24. He visited Columbus on March 30. And two weeks later, on April 15 – moments before Ohio State kicked off its spring game in Ohio Stadium – he committed to the Buckeyes, choosing them over Michigan, North Carolina and Tennessee.
“Very early in the process, Ohio State was a school he had his eye on. When they offered, he was excited,” Baylor School head coach Erik Kimrey told Eleven Warriors in April. “In my role, all I try to do is help families make decisions best for their son and give any guide rails they might need from my experiences and help them decide what’s in their heart. Clearly, Ohio State was in his.”
A former assistant coach at South Carolina, Kimrey believes Ohio State will love LeBlanc from the moment he arrives. They’ll also love the player LeBlanc can become, Kimrey said.
“I coached tight ends in the SEC two years ago, so I feel like I have a pretty decent eye. The first time you see him, he impresses you with his stature. He’s almost 6-5, and his hands are circus-level big,” Kimrey said. “Once he started running, I saw the fluidity of how he moves and the natural way he catches the football.
“He understands how to run routes and leverage. He has such a huge radius to catch the ball because he’s so long, and his hands are so good. He could play on Saturdays now when it comes to that. ... They’re going to get a good one.”
Complete TE! His development is going to be fun to watch! https://t.co/izde4kQrLa
— Mark Pantoni (@markpantoni) December 20, 2023
In the months since LeBlanc’s commitment and Kimrey’s interview with Eleven Warriors, LeBlanc increased in stature and now boasts a 6-foot-5, 226-pound frame. He maximized his size, hands, route-running and more for Baylor School in 2023.
The No. 270 overall prospect and No. 16 tight end in the class of 2024 according to the 247Sports composite, LeBlanc will add depth to Bailey’s position room next fall.
With Cade Stover expected to enter the NFL draft and Joe Royer in the transfer portal, Gee Scott Jr. looks poised to become Ohio State’s top tight end as Sam Hart, Bennett Christian and Jelani Thurman compete for the second spot in the two-deep. That should create some time for LeBlanc – and fellow tight end signee Damarion Witten – to pack on some extra pounds in Mickey Marotti’s strength and conditioning program and learn Ryan Day’s system in year one.
