A German-born tight end who went from playing soccer in Cologne to winning a national championship at Michigan and becoming a Houston second-round pick.
Marlin Klein grew up in Cologne, Germany, playing soccer and basketball before switching to American football and eventually landing at Michigan, where he won a national championship in 2023. The Houston Texans selected him in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, valuing his physicality and leadership over gaudy receiving numbers.
Path to the league
Klein came up through the Cologne Crocodiles junior program in Germany before enrolling at Michigan in 2022. He played sparingly as a freshman before redshirting, then developed into a physical blocking tight end over his final three seasons. The Texans selected him with the 59th overall pick in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, a selection general manager Nick Caserio attributed to Klein's maturity, intelligence and toughness.
Career highlights
Klein was part of Michigan's 2023 national championship team and finished his college career with 38 receptions for 364 yards and a touchdown. He became a team captain and a physical tone-setter as Michigan's top tight end in 2025, with his blocking and leadership drawing more praise from evaluators than his receiving totals.
2025 season recap
In his final Michigan season, Klein caught 24 passes for 248 yards and a touchdown across 11 games while serving as a team captain and the Wolverines' top tight end. His draft stock rose on the strength of his physical, hard-nosed play style, and Houston used a second-round pick on him, the highest a German-born player has gone since Bjorn Werner in 2013.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Marlin Klein
- Houston Texans: PICK IS IN - TE Marlin Klein from Michigan drafted at No. 59 overall
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Tight End
- Group
- offense
- College
- Michigan
- Hometown
- Cologne, Germany
- Age
- 23
- Status
- active
