Better Know a Buckeye: Nick Lautar’s Willingness to Make a Play Whether He Has the Ball or Not Could Make Him the Next Do-It-All Tight End at Ohio State

Regardless of his recruiting ranking, Nick Lautar’s tape shows a versatile, do-it-all tight end with the potential to thrive at Ohio State as he continues to develop and follows the trajectory he's been on the last two years.

Background

A late-blooming tight end who is still growing into his 6-5 frame, Lautar committed to Louisville in June 2025. But that all changed when he received an offer from Ohio State while visiting Columbus for the Buckeyes' game against UCLA in November. Even though it was only two-and-a-half weeks before signing day, the in-state tight end committed to OSU one day later.

Lautar finished his junior season with 23 catches for 267 yards and three touchdowns in his first year as a full-time starter at tight end. He then had 38 receptions for 511 yards and eight touchdowns in his senior season.

Lautar also excelled as a wrestler at Lebanon High School. Lautar set a school record with 36 pins his junior year, topping the mark of 35 he set as a sophomore. 

Scouting Report

With a willingness to be physical at the point of attack and make a big-time block (or two) in the run game or downfield for a teammate on a big play, Lautar loves to do the dirty work as a do-it-all tight end.

As a blocker, he holds his blocks until he hears a whistle, even if it means blocking an opponent into the ground on the sideline. While offensive linemen are usually the ones making pancake blocks, Lautar seems to love to do so, too. Thanks to his wrestling background, he is great at gaining leverage against his opponent.

In the passing game, Lautar is a mismatch, possessing the speed to evade opposing linebackers while having the height and hands to make plays against defensive backs. Lautar can line up on the line of scrimmage or on the outside, as he has proven to be a playmaker in all areas of the offense, and he is already a skilled route-runner coming out of high school.

Depth Chart Outlook

Even after losing NFL draft picks Max Klare and Will Kacmarek, Ohio State's tight end room is quite stacked in 2026. It’s led by Nate Roberts, Mason Williams, Hunter Welcing and Bennett Christian and also includes redshirt sophomore Max LeBlanc and redshirt freshman Brody Lennon.

With that, Lautar will spend his first year as a Buckeye developing behind the scenes. If he can show plenty of promise and development as a freshman, though, Lautar could very well compete for a spot on the three-deep in 2027.

Player Comparison: Jeff Heuerman

A three-star recruit in the 2011 class, Heuerman proved to be better than his ranking as his OSU career rolled along.

After garnering nine catches for 119 yards and a touchdown in his first two seasons as a Buckeye, Heuerman had a career-high 26 receptions for 466 yards and four touchdowns in just 10 games as a junior. He then notched 17 catches for 207 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games as a senior, helping Ohio State to a national championship along the way.

While he was never a superstar, Heuerman developed into a reliable pass-catcher who also stood his ground as a blocker. The 6-5, 255-pounder was a third-round pick in the 2015 NFL draft, where he spent four years with the Denver Broncos. His career was cut short due to multiple injuries, but he still totaled 63 catches for 678 yards and five touchdowns during his four seasons with the Broncos.

Lautar seems to be faster than Heuerman, but he brings a similar do-it-all skill set to the tight end position and could make a similar impact for the Buckeyes over the course of his career.