Final 2026 NFL Draft Rankings: Tight Ends

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The NFL draft is just over two weeks away, and our coverage here at NFL Trade Rumors rolls on. Over the next week, I’ll continue releasing my final position rankings as we get closer and closer to one of the best weekends of the entire year. Stretching all the way back to last summer, I’ve been poring over tape, monitoring pro day and Combine performances, and getting my eyes on the All-Star circuit, all to deliver the most accurate and informative draft coverage I can. Up next is the tight end class, and this is a strong group. I don’t have first-round grades on any of them personally, but there’s one prospect who could go in the top 15 and another potential first-round pick in this group, too. The depth is where this class shines, however, with about two dozen prospects I could see becoming impactful NFL players. Most will go on Day 3, but if your favorite team needs to add some depth to their tight ends rooms or wants to take a flier on a guy with upside later in the draft, it’s a veritable gold mine out there. I was very impressed watching these tight ends. Over the next two weeks, I’ll be finishing out my final position rankings and much more. We have a lot of content planned on the draft side coming up soon, so stay tuned! Top 150 Big Board 2026 NFL Draft Visit Tracker Final Position Rankings: Quarterbacks Final Position Rankings: Offensive Tackles Final Position Rankings: Interior Offensive Linemen Final Position Rankings: Safeties Final Position Rankings: Cornerbacks 1: Max Klare, Ohio State A three-star recruit from Indiana, Klare played both quarterback and tight end in high school before settling into the latter position at Purdue. He flashed high-end potential as a true freshman in 2023, but only played five games due to injury. His breakout season came as a sophomore, when he had 51 receptions for 685 yards and four touchdowns for the Boilermakers, earning third-team All-Big Ten recognition. After the season, he transferred to the Buckeyes, earning consensus first-team All-Big Ten honors behind 43 catches for 448 yards and two touchdowns. Standing at 6-4, 246 pounds, Klare is an elite route runner for the position. He can beat linebackers down the field and is too big for safeties and corners to match at the catch point. As a result, both Purdue and Ohio State would hunt mismatches with him, lining him up in creative ways to get the matchup they wanted. Klare is fast and can decelerate surprisingly well for a man his size, creating consistent separation down the field. After the catch, he’s got some juice, though he’s more liable to run through someone than make them miss in the open field. At the catch point, he’s got big, soft hands and impressive body control, making tough catches look easy in traffic or on the sideline. As a blocker, Klare showed consistent improvement throughout his college career. He’s tenacious on contact, driving forward and working great in combination with the offensive line. Despite his reputation as a receiver first, he has the strength to hold his own against defensive linemen. He maximizes his strength and is a fundamentally sound blocker in every aspect. But he is at his best in the passing game, where he owns the middle of the field. Klare is undaunted going into traffic and has such a natural feel for where to attack zone coverages. Like most tight ends, Klare will struggle in pass protection if he’s left on an island against twitchy edge rushers. Despite his improvements in this area, tha…