The Houston Texans are about to get training camp rolling, and one rookie who could end up turning heads is Michigan tight end Marlin Klein.
Houston’s rookies report on July 21, giving them a week’s head start before the veterans arrive on July 28. Most of the spotlight will land on the team’s top two picks, Keylan Rutledge and Kayden McDonald, both of whom the Texans traded up for in rounds one and two and who have the clearest path to starting right away.
But Klein, taken with the No. 59 selection, is the name that could wind up surprising people the most.
That might sound odd at first. Klein’s draft slot raised eyebrows because his grade and projections had him pegged closer to day three than the end of the second round.
So yes, there were questions when Houston made the pick. The Texans will spend the coming months finding out whether they got the kind of raw talent worth betting on.
There are three reasons Klein has a real shot to pop as a rookie: his NFL-ready frame, the Texans’ plan to use tight ends more in year two of Nick Caley’s system, and a tight end room that doesn’t have a lot settled beyond Dalton Schultz.
Klein’s college production at Michigan was modest - 24 catches for 248 yards and a touchdown in his final season - but the body is hard to miss. At 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, he brings the kind of size that can matter right away as both a blocker and a pass-catching option.
That skill set may have been muted in Michigan’s offense, but Houston’s attack should give him a better chance to show it. The Texans are expected to lean more heavily on tight ends this season, and head coach DeMeco Ryans made that clear in June.
"The tight ends pose a matchup problem," Ryans said in June. "Now you've got more pass threat tight ends than we've had in the past... It's a chess match when you're going against defenses and you put 13 personnel out on the field, having the ability to throw the ball in personnel, those percentages have skyrocketed over the past 10 years."
"So, just having that flexibility by an offensive coordinator to have tight ends that we can put out... should open up a ton more options for us when it comes to being able to disguise some personnel.”
That kind of usage would be a boost for Klein, because more tight end snaps mean more chances to stay on the field and make an impression with his size and versatility.
The depth chart also works in his favor. Schultz is locked in as the top tight end, but beyond that, the picture is murky.
Klein has been held back some by the hamstring injury he suffered during OTAs, which limited his reps with the offense. Still, if he gets healthy and comes out sharp in camp, he has a real chance to climb past Cade Stover, Foster Moreau, and Brevin Jordan.
He may need time to settle in, but the path is there for Klein to become the rookie who catches people off guard. Keep an eye on him once camp gets going.
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