Fox Sports named the best fit for the Broncos in the NFL Draft, and this tight end is an ideal fit for a team led by head coach Sean Payton.
The Denver Broncos won't have a selection in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft after they traded their pick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.
And, the Broncos should be fine with that. Waddle is a dynamic weapon to add to the offense, and the first pick for Denver is at No. 62, which comes near the end of the second round.
Tight end is a glaring need for Denver, and the Broncos hosted Vanderbilt star Eli Stowers on a visit. Stowers is widely considered the TE2 of the class behind Oregon Ducks star Kenyon Sadiq, who will most likely go in the first round.
Rob Rang of Fox Sports had a new mock draft, although this one focused on each team addressing its biggest need. For Denver, the biggest need he mentioned was tight end, and the player mocked to them at No. 62 is Ohio State's Max Klare.
"Sean Payton heavily featured the tight end position while head coach of the New Orleans Saints, with players like Jimmy Graham, Taysom Hill and Jared Cook. Last year, the Broncos got a combined three scores from their tight ends. The athletic Klare is a catch-first tight end and would represent an immediate upgrade for Denver," Rang wrote.
Klare spent two seasons at Purdue, and he caught 51 passes for 685 yards with four scores in 2024.
Then, Klare played last season at Ohio State, catching 43 passes for 448 yards and two scores, although the Buckeyes have a ton of pass-catchers, including Jeremiah Smith Jr. and Carnell Tate.
Klare had seven receptions for 105 yards with a score on November 22 against Rutgers, and he was a solid option for the offense in Columbus.
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. also has Klare listed as a fullback/H-back, so there is some versatility for the Ohio State star.
The Broncos have Adam Trautman, which isn't exactly an exciting option, and the tight end position was a bit of a drag for Denver a year ago.
Everybody knows that Sean Payton loves to use tight ends in different ways, just like he did with Taysom Hill and Jimmy Graham during his time with the Saints.
Klare seems to be a late-second or third-round pick, but the Broncos being able to get an immediate positional upgrade at this point in the draft would be a home run, and it makes a lot of sense for both sides.