Scouting Report: Weaknesses

• Blocking technique remains a work in progress – too often plays with high pad level and allows defenders to get into his chest and drive him backward.
• Needs to add functional core and lower body strength to handle NFL edge defenders at the point of attack in the run game.
• Medical history raises some flags – lost significant development time with the ankle injury that cut his 2023 season short after just five games.
• Can occasionally telegraph his breaks against savvy defenders who recognize his subtle tells before cutting – will need to become more deceptive.
• Still developing hand placement as a blocker – tends to get grabby rather than striking with proper positioning inside the defender's frame.

Scouting Report: Summary

The tape reveals a tight end with natural receiving gifts and concerning blocking limitations that create an intriguing evaluation paradox. When running routes and catching passes, Klare displays the fluid athleticism and instinctive hands that offensive coordinators covet, particularly on intermediate routes where he consistently creates separation with subtle movements and understands how to shield defenders from the ball. Yet these receiving talents are currently undermined by significant deficiencies in the blocking phase, where his high pad level and inadequate hand placement leave him vulnerable against physical defenders.

Klare's transfer to Ohio State introduces both opportunity and risk to his development. While competing against elite talent daily should accelerate his technical growth, particularly as a blocker, the crowded skill position room may limit his statistical production compared to his featured role at Purdue. His background as a former quarterback manifests in his advanced route adjustments and field awareness, though this positional transition also explains his raw blocking technique. The ankle injury that derailed his 2023 season raises durability questions that must be answered through consistent availability during his time in Columbus.

Looking ahead to the next level, Klare's game translates best to spread offenses that can leverage his receiving abilities from multiple alignments while minimizing his blocking responsibilities early in his career. His ceiling hinges entirely on blocking development – without significant improvement there, he risks being pigeonholed as a situational passing-down specialist. With proper strength gains and technical refinement, however, his complete skill set could become a true three-down weapon. The best path forward involves gradually increasing his blocking responsibilities at Ohio State while continuing to refine the natural receiving talents that already make him dangerous in the passing game.