The Houston Texans drafted Michigan tight end Marlin Klein 59th overall in the second round, signaling a belief he can maximize his upside beyond college production.

Klein, a 6-foot-6, 250-pound tight end, impressed at the NFL Combine with elite athletic measurements and was once tagged by analysts as a freak athlete.

He leaves Michigan as a four-year contributor who chose to forgo his final year of eligibility, having been a captain and a reliable blocker who could develop into a receiving threat.

Klein logged 38 receptions for 364 yards and one touchdown over his Michigan career, with his best season reaching 24 receptions and 248 yards in 2025 while battling injuries.

He began seeing meaningful snaps in 2023 as Michigan used multiple offensive formations, contributing as an in-line blocker and occasional receiver.

A German-born athlete who moved to the U.S. and served as Michigan captain in 2025, Klein balanced on-field production with academic honors, including multiple Academic All-Big Ten selections.

Klein will join the Texans in Houston, returning to a venue familiar to him from Michigan’s 2023 national championship run and following teammate Colston Loveland as another high-end Michigan tight end in the NFL.

Michigan did not have a first-round pick in the 2026 draft, the first time since 2018, while last year featured three first-round Wolverines.

Klein is part of a recent Michigan tight end pipeline, becoming the fourth Wolverine at the position drafted in the last four years, with several selected in the second round.

On draft morning, Klein texted Texans tight ends coach James Ferentz, signaling readiness to contribute and a strong fit with Houston’s identity.

Klein was listed among Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List and was projected by some analysts as a late-second to early-third round pick before the selection.

Klein’s journey began in Cologne, Germany, moved to Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School in Georgia, and blossomed into a four-year Michigan career as a versatile blocker and receiver.