As he makes his case to be selected early in the 2026 NFL Draft, Marlin Klein participated in several drills at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis this week.
Among the highlights for Klein include above-average showings in the 40-yard dash and vertical leap, particularly for his size and position. See how he fared across the board below.
Combine results (historical percentile at position, via RAS.football, in parentheses)
Position: Tight end
Height: 6-foot-6.0 (91.8th percentile among tight ends in Combine history)
Weight: 248 pounds (48.3rd percentile)
Arm length: 32.375 inches
Hand: 9.25 inches
40-yard dash: 4.61 seconds (93.6th percentile)
10-yard split: 1.64 seconds (76.1st percentile)
20-yard split: 2.67 seconds (92.2nd percentile)
Vertical jump: 36 inches (90.2nd percentile)
Broad jump: 9-foot-9 (70.5th percentile)
3-cone drill: 7.42 seconds (31.7th percentile)
20-yard shuttle: Did not participate
Bench press: Saturday (story will be updated if he participates)
Combine takeaways
Klein's relative athletic score placed in the 90th percentile among tight ends in Combine history, and 11th out of 18 tight ends in this year's Combine (former Michigan player, SMU's Matthew Hbner, was third). Klein helped his cause measuring in at a genuine 6-foot-6, and his 40-yard dash time and vertical leap establish him as having the requisite athleticism to make it in the NFL.
But for a player who didn't have as productive of a senior season as he or Michigan hoped, Klein likely needed to be more of a standout in the drills if he wanted to climb up draft boards. His 3-cone drill in particular was a disappointment, given Michigan reported to The Athletic that he posted a 6.89 in the drill last offseason.
Of course, Klein will get his pro day to improve on that number, and a 3-cone drill isn't a make-or-break piece of any player's draft profile. But Klein is trying to sell teams on being tall and athletic enough to develop into a productive pro, and may look at Michigan's pro day as a chance to more effectively showcase his agility.
Career at Michigan
Initially hailing from Cologne, Germany before playing high school football at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School in Georgia, Klein redshirted his freshman year in 2022, only appearing in two games. His sophomore season saw him play 10 total games, eight on offense, and catch one pass for eight yards. He only played 37 offensive snaps, and 16 special teams snaps.
By 2024, Klein was tapped as a likely replacement for AJ Barner, as the complementary tight end to Colston Loveland. He ultimately ended up playing as the No. 1 tight end for much of the season, starting six games as Loveland battled multiple injuries. Klein finished the season playing 418 offensive snaps (eighth on the offense), and was tied for fourth on the roster with 22 targets as a pass-catcher. He caught 13 of those targets for 108 yards and five first downs (all three figures ranked fifth on the team). He quietly shined as a pass-blocker, allowing zero pressures on 36 pass-blocking snaps.
Klein's best game came against Arkansas State, when he caught all three targets thrown his way for 43 yards. For his efforts, he was named the team's most improved offensive player as voted by his teammates.
His senior season, with Loveland off to the NFL, Klein was voted a team captain, and billed as a potential centerpiece of Michigan's improved passing game. He certainly lived up to expectations in week one, catching six of nine targets thrown his way for 93 yards and a touchdown. But due in part to injury, play-calling, the offense around him and his own performance, Klein only totaled 79 yards receiving in Michigan's next nine games. He caught a pass in the seven of those games he played in, but registered just 10 receptions in those games, on 18 targets, and tallied just three first downs in those games.
Klein did see an uptick in his production in Michigan's final three games, however, as his eight receptions, 76 receiving yards and 14 targets n those three games represented a return to preseason expectations for Klein. Still, his 24 catches and 248 receiving yards on the season were well below outside expectations, as were his 41 targets and one touchdown.
He was named honorable mention All-Big Ten, and declared for the NFL Draft with one season of eligibility remaining.
Latest projections
Klein is ranked No. 199 overall in the NFL Mock Draft database, and the No. 17 tight end
Klein is not projected to be selected in Pro Football Focus's three-round mock draft.
Klein was not listed in The Athletic's top-100 prospects rankings
Klein is No. 172 in CBS Sports' top 330 prospects, and the No. 14 tight end.
What scouts will like
Klein's biggest market efficiency in the pre-draft process will be his alleged athleticism. He ranked No. 35 in The Athletic's**annual Freaks List** for his strong athleticism for his size, with the publication citing a 21.75 mile-per-hour sprint speed, a broad jump of 9-foot-7, a 6.89 in the three-cone drill, and shuttle time of 4.25 seconds.
Added to his 6-foot-6, 250-pound frame, and teams won't have to squint too hard to see a developmental prospect in Klein. And unlike many high-ceiling prospects, Klein spent a season being captain for the Wolverines, and logged 809 snaps on offense the past two seasons. He was a willing blocker for the most part (66th out of 199 qualified tight ends in PFF's run-blocking grade) and played roles on special teams while at Michigan.
Questions to answer
If Klein wants to sneak into the second day of the NFL Draft, he'll need to deliver on that high-level athleticism. That will make up for a career (64 targets, 38 receptions, 364 yards, one touchdown) that compares unfavorably to other NFL Draft prospects. Even beyond the raw numbers, Klein's ability to create separation, log contested catches (three on 10 such targets in his career, per PFF) and deliver extra yardage after the catch will all be areas Klein will try to prove himself in front of scouts and coaches.