Ohio State freshman tight end Max LeBlanc is originally from Quebec, but spent his last two years of high school attending Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. LeBlanc was ranked the No. 14 tight end in the 247Sports Composite and the No. 258 player overall in the 2024 recruiting class.
As a senior, LeBlanc (6-4 230) caught 49 passes for 884 yards and 10 touchdowns. As a junior, he caught 39 passes for 695 yards and three touchdowns. He led his team to the Tennessee DII-AA state championship game last fall. LeBlanc signed with Ohio State over offers from Alabama, Michigan, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee, Miami, Florida State, and others.
What To Like
It is generally pretty easy to pick out a bunch of exciting plays from a highlight video for most skill positions, but when it comes to tight end, we need to start off with some blocking. After all, if a guy can’t block, it’s going to be very difficult for him to get on the field. For Max LeBlanc, blocking appears to be both a requirement and a perk. And as they say, if you love your job, you’ll never have to work a day in your life.
LeBlanc clearly loves his job and he shows it from a variety of positions. In the clips below, he can be a lead blocker, he can pull, he can seal, he can block out in space on screens, and he will climb to the second level looking for a target. He lines up all over the place and can be effective blocker wherever he is stationed.
The Potential
Max LeBlanc still needs to get bigger and stronger, but he’s actually played tight end in high school, so the learning curve won’t be as sizable as it has been for some tight ends who were actually just big receivers in high school. That being said, LeBlanc is a very talented receiver who can make plays after the catch or as a downfield target.
In the clips below, LeBlanc takes standard receptions and turns them into bigger gains. As he gets older and stronger, this skill could start to show itself for the Buckeyes. Breaking free of a tackle and then picking up bonus yards can be the difference between a win and a loss. LeBlanc wants more yards than the play is designed for and he often gets what he wants.
The Expectations
It’s usually safe to assume that a true freshman tight end at Ohio State is going to redshirt. Max LeBlanc will likely follow that trend, but there will still be four regular season games that he can take part in, and however many postseason games he might be called upon in which to play.
True freshmen tight ends generally don’t contribute much in the way of statistical production. Rory Nicol caught three passes in 2004 as a true freshman and no Buckeye tight end has equaled that number yet. But even if the passes don’t come his way, LeBlanc can still find a role as an extra blocker or a second tight end. The Ohio State tight end room has a number of question marks. A true freshman isn’t likely to be one of the answers, but he’s going to get a shot just like everybody else.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that Max LeBlanc shows the kind of tendencies that result in a complete tight end down the road. He is a physical and willing blocker, can be an offensive weapon from a number of different alignments, and is also just a consistent and trustworthy outlet for a quarterback.
If LeBlanc can put it all together, you could also see him sneaking downfield at times as well. He would also be an interesting option as an H-back/fullback because he’s got the mobility for it, but could present some real challenges from that spot in the passing game.
Give Max LeBlanc time to develop and the Buckeyes just might get back much more than they’ve invested.
Previous Closer Look Editions
Quarterback Will Howard | Running Back Quinshon Judkins | Running Back Sam Williams-Dixon | Receiver Mylan Graham | Tight End Will Kacmarek | Offensive Tackle Deontae Armstrong | Center Seth McLaughlin | Defensive Tackle Eric Mensah | Linebacker Payton Pierce | Safety Leroy Roker | Safety Jaylen McClain | Safety Caleb Downs | Safety Keenan Nelson, Jr.
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