Marlin Klein

The Player

Klein has flown under the radar due to his underwhelming number of starts and overall production at Michigan, but he’s one of the better blocking tight ends in the class. He was a five-year player for the Wolverines, serving as a rotational tight end and special teams player early in his career before becoming a full-time starter in 2025. He finished his career with just 38 receptions for 364 yards (9.6 yards per catch) and one touchdown. He flashes loads of potential as a route runner and pass catcher on tape, and his combine workout (including a 4.61-second 40, 1.64-second split, 36-inch vertical jump, and 9-foot-9-inch broad jump) showed an intriguing blend of untapped speed and explosiveness.

Klein’s best trait is his blocking ability. He’s tall, he’s long, and he generates push. He’s effective as an in-line blocker and on the move. He’s also slightly better in pass protection than as a run blocker at this point. As a pass catcher, he has soft hands and good focus. He confidently attacks the ball on the run and away from his frame. He quickly transitions upfield, too. His drop rate (6.3 percent) is misleading based on our tape evaluation: Three of his four career drops were unfairly tagged as drops, and his one true drop came when it was snowing; he finished the catch but was assisted by the ground. 

He’s shown flashes of potential as a route runner on the seams and displays an exciting blend of double moves, play-action releases, and crossers. He’s a bit tight-hipped when it comes to changing directions and creating separation out of his breaks. He’s more of a scheme-dependent target and not a dynamic route runner, but he shows good speed to threaten secondaries. 

As a blocker, he gets good initial pop against opposing defenders, but he dips his head too often before contact, which leads to most of his negative plays. He gives great effort and fights to sustain blocks, though. He’ll only get better as he improves his technique and strength. 

The Draft

Klein is underrated. This draft class is loaded with mid-to-late-round tight ends who can contribute to an NFL team. I think Klein’s potential exceeds that of many other tight ends in this class, and I view him as a top-100 prospect. 

The Projection

Klein is known for his in-line blocking, but I’m most excited by what’s on his tape, including his speed, route running, and confident hands when plucking on the run. He has a lot of upside and should thrive playing with an NFL-level QB. Klein projects as a no. 3 tight end as a rookie but should quickly rise to a no. 2 role. Klein has a very similar college arc and athletic profile to Luke Schoonmaker, but his higher-end comparison is Dalton Schultz.