Marlin Klein, a tight end from Michigan, was drafted No. 59 overall by the Houston Texans in the 2026 NFL Draft. He is the fourth Michigan tight end to be drafted in four years.
For the fourth year in a row, a Michigan football tight end has been drafted by an NFL team.
Marlin Klein was selected No. 59 overall in the second round by the Houston Texans on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft, following in the footsteps of Colston Loveland (2025 Round 1, Chicago Bears), AJ Barner (2024 Round 4, Seattle Seahawks) and Luke Schoonmaker (2023 Round 2, Dallas Cowboys) the previous three years.
The 6-foot-6, 250-pound tight end was a Michigan captain in 2025. He battled through injuries in 2025, but opted for the NFL with one season of eligibility remaining. Klein had the best campaign of his modest career in 2025, grabbing 24 receptions for 248 yards (10.3 yards per catch) and one touchdown in 11 games.
Michigan tight end Marlin Klein (17) makes a catch against New Mexico safety Austin Brawley (21) during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, August 30, 2025.
Marlin Klein was drafted in the second round, with the 59th overall pick.
Marlin Klein was selected by the Houston Texans.
In his final season at Michigan, Marlin Klein recorded 24 receptions for 248 yards and one touchdown.
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āThe NFL is getting an explosive player that can do whatever is asked of him ā play special teams, run block and catch the ball and someone who is not going to complain about his usage," Klein told ESPN when he declared for the draft. "They are getting a player thatās willing to die for his teammates.ā
He started the 2025 season with a career day, catching six passes for 93 yards and the first touchdown of Bryce Underwood's career, but he did not find the end zone again as he battled to stay on the field. Klein missed the Week 2 loss at Oklahoma after sustaining a lower body injury during practice and also missed the 24-7 win over Washington at home in mid-October with another undisclosed injury.
Klein, who had four catches for 39 yards in U-M's Citrus Bowl loss to Texas, also had to leave that game early after he took what appeared to be a helmet-to-helmet hit along the sideline. The Cologne, Germany, native played in 35 career games across four seasons and was named an All-Big Ten honorable mention to wrap up his career.
The tight end who landed at No. 35 The Athletic's 'Freaks List' entering the season tested very well at the scouting combine, running a 4.61 40-yard dash with a 36-inch vertical jump. His RAS ranked in the top 10% among tight ends over the past 30 years.
Tony GarciaĀ is theĀ Michigan beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X atĀ @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football TE Marlin Klein drafted by Houston Texans in Round 2