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Buckeyes' Position Review: Tight Ends Have a lot to Prove Next Year
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- Buckeyes' Position Review: Tight Ends Have a lot to Prove Next Year
The Ohio State Buckeyes have always had more than above-average tight ends under head coach Ryan Day.
From Cade Stover to Gee Scott to transfer Max Klare, there has always been a good player at the position that the Buckeyes could, and always did, rely on week after week.
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The 2026 roster is going to be a little bit tougher, as the group Ohio State has at the position is not quite as strong. The difference this year is that the new offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, is going to want to use the tight end position and use it a lot. The group Ohio State has at the position is not quite as strong
Nate Roberts, Number 83
As the depth chart stands right now, Nate Roberts is in the conversation. Roberts appeared in 13 games last year for Ohio State, with the only one being the quarterfinal against the Miami Hurricanes .
On the year, Roberts had four catches for 30 yards, as he was low on the depth chart behind Klare and Will Kacmarek. He has massive stature, standing at 6'5" and weighing 240 pounds.
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Hunter Welcing, Number 84
This is the second time in as many years that Day and the Buckeyes have hit the transfer portal within the Big Ten. This year, they went and grabbed Hunter Welcing, who played tight end for the Northwestern Wildcats for five seasons. He comes to Ohio State as a graduate transfer and is going to be in the conversation this year.
He hardly had any stats from Northwestern. He finished his career with 29 catches for 316 yards and two touchdowns across his entire time. While his career stats weren't great, his stats from last year were solid. He finished last year with 28 catches for 298 yards and two touchdowns
Mason Williams, Number 86
Back to Athens we go for another tight end. In the same way that the Buckeyes acquired Kacmarek a few years ago, Williams comes to Ohio State after a very productive three seasons in Athens. He finished his career with 26 catches for 276 yards and three touchdowns last year.
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He is 6'4" and weighs in at 247 pounds, and will be just as much of a factor in the run game as he will in the pass game.
This position group is going to be very important for what Arthur Smith wants to do in 2026. He will want to use the tight end as if the Buckeyes were in the NFL , and we will quickly see if they have any real potential in these three players.
If they do, the Buckeyes offense could be unlocked as this would take a major load off of Jeremiah Smith and the rest of this offense.
