Lathan Ransom thought about the possibility of Max Klare transferring to Ohio State before Klare even entered the transfer portal.
After Ohio State faced Purdue in November, Ransom went to Keenan Bailey and told the Buckeyes’ tight ends coach that he thought they should pursue Klare if he jumped in the portal after the season.
When Klare actually entered the portal one month later, joining a large group of Boilermakers who did so after Purdue fired former coach Ryan Walters, Ransom’s prophecy came true. The former Boilermaker chose to sign with Ohio State after also considering other top programs like Texas, Michigan, Louisville and Texas A&M.
“It’s funny. I actually went to Coach Kee after we played Purdue and was like, ‘Man, if he enters the portal,’ he's a guy we should get,” Ransom said Thursday at the NFL Scouting Combine. “He's one of the best tight ends that stood out on tape immediately every time we studied for them and prepared for them, so I'm excited how we're going to use him next year.”
I see no lies. Real recognize Real. @L8thanRansom https://t.co/wZdxc5MvAK
— Keenan Bailey (@CoachKee) February 27, 2025
Ransom doubled down on his praise of Klare later in his interview session, saying that Klare was one of the best tight ends Ohio State played last season and predicting that Klare will be the best tight end in college football in 2025.
“I feel that Purdue tight end, Max Klare, is going to be a baller and is probably one of the best tight ends that we played,” Ransom said. “And I think he's going to be the best tight end coming into the college football season next year.”
Ohio State largely shut down Klare in its 45-0 win over Purdue, limiting Klare to only two catches for 13 yards, but he was far more productive in the Boilermakers’ other games. Klare’s 685 receiving yards on 51 catches were the eighth-most among all FBS tight ends in 2024, and he earned third-team All-Big Ten honors behind only Penn State’s Tyler Warren and Michigan’s Colston Loveland – both projected first-round picks in the 2025 NFL draft.
In addition to playing against Klare this past season, Ohio State’s defensive backs practiced against Klare for a few weeks during the CFP after he joined the team as a midyear enrollee. What Ohio State’s defensive backs at the NFL Scouting Combine saw from Klare in those practices has them excited about what Klare can do in 2025 now that he’ll be wearing scarlet and gray.
“He gave us a great look in scout (team),” said Jordan Hancock. “He's a great route runner. He can block. But really, his routes, I think he's going to be a real good passing threat later down the year.”
“It’s funny. I actually went to Coach Kee after we played Purdue and was like, ‘Man, if he enters the portal,’ he's a guy we should get.”– Lathan Ransom on Max Klare
Denzel Burke said Ransom was tasked with guarding Klare in most of those practices and that Ransom did a good job of preventing Klare from making plays against Ohio State’s defense in practice, but Burke said that going against Klare in practice during the run to a national championship helped make the Buckeyes’ already-elite defense better.
“Lathan was guarding him, and (Klare) wasn’t making too many plays, but Lathan, he was doing his thing,” Burke said. “But (Klare) was giving us great looks and a great addition to our team.”
Klare isn’t the only Buckeye that Ransom’s excited to watch next season. Asked in a separate portion of his interview which returning Buckeyes he expects to break out in 2025, Ransom identified sophomore running back James Peoples as a player to watch while he also expects big things from Ohio State’s wide receivers and whoever replaces him in the lineup alongside Caleb Downs at safety.
“James Peoples is a dog, that young running back coming up, make a lot of plays. I think all them young receivers that are going to make a lot of plays, and whoever is that other safety, you're going to be talking about him a lot,” Ransom said.
