Ohio State tight end Max Klare and center Carson Hinzman were the latest Buckeyes to earn preseason recognition on Friday.
Klare, the former transfer from Purdue, was named to the Mackey Award watch list along with 31 others. The Mackey Award, given to the best tight end in the country, has never been won by a Buckeye.
Klare was one of a few bright spots for the 1-11 Boilermakers last year. The Cincinnati-native led the Boilermakers with 51 receptions and 685 receiving yards on the way to earning All-Big Ten third-team honors.
Klare, a native of Cincinnati, projects to be the Buckeyes’ starting tight end this year, having received plenty of first-team reps early on in fall camp.
While Klare was on the Mackey Award watch list, Hinzman was named to the watch list for the Rimington Award, given to the nation’s most outstanding center.
Unlike Klare, Hinzman has been with the Buckeyes since the 2022 season and was even the Buckeyes’ starting center as a redshirt freshman. Early on last year, though, he sat behind eventual Rimington Trophy winner Seth McLaughlin until a couple of Buckeyes, including McLaughlin, suffered season-ending injuries.
Hinzman, who started the last nine games of the season, including the last six at center, will almost certainly start for the Buckeyes again this year at center.
Ohio State, which already has a record-high four Rimington Award winners, including LeCharles Bentley, Pat Elflein, McLaughlin and Billy Price, will hope Hinzman becomes the second-straight Buckeye to win the award.
