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Michigan TE Marlin Klein declares for NFL draft

By Thomson Reuters Jan 2, 2026 | 10:28 AM

Michigan captain and tight end Marlin Klein, an All-Big Ten honorable mention this season, announced Friday ‍he is declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft.

The 6-foot-6, 250-pound senior has one season of college eligibility remaining. Klein caught 24 passes for 248 yards and a ‌touchdown in 11 games in ‌2025, including four catches for 39 yards in a 41-27 loss to Texas in the Citrus Bowl on Wednesday. He finished third ​on the Wolverines (9-4) this season in receptions and yards.

Klein told ESPN on ‍Friday that he’s “ready ​for the next step.”

“The NFL ​is getting an explosive player that can ‍do whatever is asked of him — play special teams, run block and catch the ball and someone who is not going to complain about his ‍usage,” Klein said. “They are getting a player that’s willing to die for his teammates.”

Born in ‍Cologne, Germany, ‍Klein was selected the ​team’s most improved player on ​offense ⁠as a junior after catching ‌13 passes for 108 yards in 13 games (six starts). In four seasons in Ann Arbor, he had 38 receptions for 364 yards and one TD in 36 games.

–Field ⁠Level Media