Ohio State’s tight end room enters 2026 with more questions than proven answers, but it also lands in a setup that should give those players every chance to matter.
That matters because Ryan Day has usually had something dependable at the position. From Cade Stover to Gee Scott to transfer Max Klare, Ohio State has leaned on tight ends it could trust from week to week. This group does not look as established, but the opportunity is there, especially with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith expected to feature the tight end heavily.
Right now, Nate Roberts is part of the mix. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound tight end played in 13 games last season, with his only appearance in the quarterfinal against the Miami Hurricanes. He finished with four catches for 30 yards and spent most of the year behind Klare and Will Kacmarek on the depth chart.
Ohio State also dipped into the transfer portal again, this time landing Hunter Welcing from Northwestern. The graduate transfer spent five seasons with the Wildcats and enters the picture at Ohio State after a career that produced 29 catches for 316 yards and two touchdowns. His biggest production came last year, when he posted 28 receptions for 298 yards and two scores.
Then there’s Mason Williams, who arrives from Athens after three productive seasons there. The 6-foot-4, 247-pound tight end finished last year with 26 catches for 276 yards and three touchdowns, and he figures to contribute as much in the run game as he does as a receiver.
For Arthur Smith, the tight end position is going to be a major piece of the offense in 2026. Ohio State will quickly find out whether Roberts, Welcing and Williams can handle that load. If they can, the Buckeyes offense has a chance to open up and ease some of the pressure on Jeremiah Smith and the rest of the unit.
In Other News...
Ohio State Just Sent A Clear Message About Its 2028 RB Plans
Ohio State has already built real momentum in the 2027 cycle with 19 verbal commitments, a class that sits No. 7 in the 247Sports rankings, but the staff is not waiting around to think ahead. The Buckeyes have also started laying groundwork for 2028, where several highly rated prospects are already on the board and the program has landed commitments from three five-star players as it keeps pressing to stay ahead of the national competition.
The latest sign of where that effort is headed came with a recent offer to four-star running back Zion Coger, a move that underscores how important the position remains in Ohio States long-range planning. The Buckeyes want more talent in the backfield, and as the 2028 board takes shape, the program is making it clear that running back will be a priority even while other parts of the recruiting machine keep rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Julian Sayin And Jeremiah Smith Just Raised Ohio States Ceiling
The early preseason honors keep piling up for Ohio States newest offensive centerpiece, with quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith both landing on the Walter Camp Football Foundations 2026 Player of the Year watch list. It is only August, but the Buckeyes already have two players drawing national attention, and both have also shown up on other preseason award watch lists and All-American teams.
Sayin and Smith are the kind of names that can shape the conversation around Ohio State from the first snap, which is why this latest recognition feels bigger than another routine mention. The Walter Camp list will get trimmed later in the season, first to semifinalists and then finalists, but for now it serves as another reminder of how high the ceiling looks if the Buckeyes young stars keep living up to the hype. [Read more 🡒]
Isaiah West Is Suddenly Right In The Middle Of Ohio State's Backfield Battle
Ohio States new offensive direction has put the running back room under a brighter spotlight, and Isaiah West is right in the middle of it. With Arthur Smith taking over as offensive coordinator and the Buckeyes expected to lean more heavily on the run, West enters his sophomore season with real opportunity after a promising freshman year and an offseason spent recovering from shoulder surgery.
West has already been working with the first-team offense early in preseason camp, a sign that his role could grow quickly as the staff sorts out the pecking order. Bo Jackson is also in the mix as he works back from injury, which leaves Ohio State with a backfield picture that feels open enough for a split workload and competitive enough to keep the position battle going well into camp. [Read more 🡒]