Ohio State’s tight ends believe they’re the top position group on the team.
While there are plenty of other position groups on the team who might have something to say about that, Ohio State’s tight ends have a legitimate case in that discussion with the talent and depth Keenan Bailey has accumulated in his room for the 2025 season.
That talent and depth was on full display on Wednesday as Ohio State made five tight ends available to the media: Max Klare, Will Kacmarek, Bennett Christian, Jelani Thurman and Nate Roberts. While Klare is one of the nation’s top receiving tight ends and Kacmarek is one of the country’s best blocking tight ends, Christian, Thurman and Roberts are each also candidates to see significant playing time this season.
During Wednesday’s interview sessions, Klare and Kacmarek both said they think the tight ends are the top position group on the roster while Christian described Klare as “probably the best route runner I’ve ever seen for a tight end.” Kacmarek also talked about his recovery from a foot injury that sidelined him for two months while Thurman talked about what it meant to him to win the national championship last season and Roberts talked about his excitement to play Texas as a native Oklahoman.
Bailey also met with the media and spoke glowingly about the depth and camaraderie in his position group.
Videos, notes and quotes from all six of Wednesday’s interview sessions can be found below.
Max Klare
“I mean, yeah, we got some freaks.”– Max Klare when asked if he expects to see less double-teams this season
- On Julian Sayin being named Ohio State’s starting quarterback: “Julian’s been great. I mean, just his leadership overall has grown. He’s really taken it by the reins now. You can feel that out at practice. You know, we’re really excited about Julian and what he can do for us.”
- Klare said he’s learned a lot from Will Kacmarek this offseason, especially how to be a better run blocker. “Will, he’s a tremendous blocker. He really throws his body around in there. He’s a very physical dude. … I’ve learned a lot from him, just like his hand placement, the way he runs his feet after contact.”
- When asked how Sayin throws the football, Klare said, “I think it’s just the way it spins out of his hand. The way it spins, and then the way it just comes softly into your hand. It’s just a different feel.”
- Klare said Texas “is extremely talented” and will test Ohio State in several areas. “It’s going to be a tall task for us, but I think we’ll just put one foot in front of the other each day and see where we line up when we get there.”
Will Kacmarek
“Gritty. Absolutely gritty … If there's a job that no one wants to do, we're the first ones to get thrown that way.”– Will Kacmarek on the first word he’d use to describe the tight end group this season
- Kacmarek said he was sidelined for two months this offseason by a foot injury, but he’s “back to full speed” now.
- Kacmarek and Klare were roommates during preseason camp. Kacmarek said he gave Klare tips about blocking while Klare gave him tips about receiving. Kacmarek said his goal for this season is to make a bigger impact as a receiver.
- Asked if the tight ends are the top position group on the team, Kacmarek replied, “Absolutely.”
Bennett Christian
“Max is probably the best route runner I've ever seen for a tight end. His breaks are so sharp, and I've learned a lot from him, just having a plan going into a route.”– Bennett Christian on Max Klare
- On stepping up as a leader in 2025: “A lot of it is about my past. Guys have seen what I've been through and when younger guys are going through a hard time, I feel like I'm somebody they can look up to, and I know that. And so when I see people that are going through a lot, I'll just sit down and talk about it with them.”
- Christian was the latest to praise how deep and talented the tight end room is. “This is by far the best room I've been in since I've been here, and that's saying a lot with Stove (Cade Stover) and Gee (Scott Jr.) and them. So, I think it's healthy competition. It's friendly competition. We're all best friends off the field, and so every time we're out there, we know we're competing, and we just make each other better.”
- On Julian Sayin: “Julian's just, he's enhancing what he did last year. He came in, and it was super impressive, and now he's just taking another step. So, I'm excited to see what this season Julian has.”
Jelani Thurman
"The only difference, really, is I'm a champion now."– Jelani Thurman on the difference for him from last year to this one
- On how the tight ends in Ohio State's room complement each other: " I feel like we have great room. Everybody can do everything we need. If we want to do passing, catching, I feel like we got every trick of the trade."
- On Klare: "He brought his energy. He brought his little knack to the game. He's bringing just another great brother to the brotherhood, for real."
- On where he's grown on the field: "Every year I feel like I've grown a little bit overall in my game, just getting a better understanding of the game, better understanding of the defenses. But passing and catching, that's always an improvement."
Nate Roberts
“I think I'm a dynamic player. I think I can be the blocking wide tight end or also be a dynamic wide receiver tight end as well.”– Nate Roberts on what he can bring to Ohio State
- Roberts said his first fall camp was physical but he grew as a player just from being around his fellow tight ends every day.
- Considering he’s from Oklahoma, Roberts said he grew up a Sooners fan so he’s looking forward to playing their archrival Texas in his first collegiate game.
- Roberts said he was impressed by Julian Sayin’s presence and decision-making throughout fall camp and has confidence he’ll thrive for the Buckeyes.
Keenan Bailey
“I love the culture of our room. I mean, the leadership is incredible. This is probably the tightest-knit tight end room since I’ve been here. I just love my guys so much.”– Keenan Bailey on the mentality of Ohio State’s tight end room
- On Klare’s growth this offseason: “I’m super impressed with how he’s been willing to get coached and to try new techniques and to try new things. That’s really why he came to Ohio State, to get uncomfortable. That’s when you develop the most. I’ve been super, super impressed with his willingness to put himself in hard situations and develop. He’s certainly gotten better.”
- Bailey said he’s already used Klare’s decision to transfer to Ohio State as a pitch to high school tight end prospects. “We had arguably the best receiving tight end in the country, could have gone anywhere, and he came here, and the reason you come here is to be the best. Not to be the best route running tight end or the best run blocking tight end, but to be the best tight end in the country, period, that’s the expectation.”
- Bailey said Thurman “could play a big role” in Ohio State’s offense this season. “That’s the expectation. Everyone in our room, we’ve got a handful of guys that could really help our team. Whatever we ask him to do, I expect him to go out and execute.”
- Bailey said Ohio State’s tight end room is the deepest it’s been in a long time. “You just look at the room, we’ve got guys that have played in big moments, a lot of them. I mean, there’s right now — I don’t want to put an exact number on it, but there’s a handful of guys that I can feel very comfortable to just go out and play the game.”
