From Cologne, Germany, to Ann Arbor and now Houston, Texas. Marlin Klein, the tight end out of The Big House, is on his way to the NFL. The Houston Texans selected Klein with the 59th overall pick in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. 

Klein was always known for his athletic ability and potential, which his coaches and teammates saw back then. The Houston Texans general manager, Nick Caserio, showered praise on the ex-Wolverines tight end during the Day 2 post-draft press conference. 

"I mean, 6-5, 250, runs 4.6. I would say his best football is probably in front of him. The type of player that has the right mentality, has the right mindset, good work ethic, really smart.” 

For most people, this pick did come as a surprise, as when you look at the numbers, they are just not there. In three seasons at Ann Arbor, Klein had only 38 receptions for 364 receiving yards and a sole touchdown to his name. 

Growing up in Germany, where football is not local, Klein spent his time playing soccer and basketball. The tight end moved to a boarding school in Georgia and then picked up football. Entering college, he was a three-star prospect and committed to the University of Michigan. 

"I'm sure we'll be playing in Germany here one of these international games, so get your passport ready at some point. Really, after the Combine, we were kind of done with him as far as the person, because there really wasn't much more there that we needed to talk about. He was a player that we liked. We liked him from the beginning of the process to drafting him, which is why we picked him," Caserio concluded.

The NFL has been playing regular-season games in Germany since 2022. At this point, the Texans do not have a game planned, but when they do play, it will be a homecoming for the German-born TE. 

What Did Marlin Klein’s Former Coach Say About Him?

The TE always had the potential to develop, and his former coach, Grant Newsome, knew about it. 

"He was the most talented guy in the room from a pure physical standpoint," then-coach Newsome said of Klein in 2023, when he was in a position room with Colston Loveland and AJ Barner.

For his part, Colston Loveland, a future top-10 NFL Draft pick, called Klein "the fastest tight end, probably the strongest tight end, biggest tight end" on the Wolverines' roster

Those are some big names to live up to for Klein. Barner went on to win the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks, and Loveland was the 10th overall pick in last year's NFL Draft. Now Klien joins the list and keeps the tradition of Michigan tight ends taken in the NFL alive. 

He is the fourth player to be drafted in the last four years, with Colston, Barner, and Luke Schoonmaker. Klein is already listed as the second-string tight end on the depth chart and will get to develop under veteran TE Dalton Schultz. 

Do you think he can be a good addition to the Texans?

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Written by

Samvruth Raj

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi