Cologne’s Marlin Klein, 23, has been surprisingly selected early in the NFL Draft by the Houston Texans, paving the way for a career in the world’s premier football league.
The tight end, who most recently played college football in Michigan, was chosen in the second round at pick 59 during the night leading into Saturday. The talent selection event is taking place in Pittsburgh.
Klein, who was generally considered by experts to be a pick for the later rounds, did not have a specific preferred team. «My family has their favorites, but I prefer to see what happens,» he stated in a SID interview prior to the draft. He will now join the Texans, where he is guaranteed a multi-million dollar salary. The team has never won a championship but has been a consistent playoff contender in recent times.
Klein will be competing for a spot on the offensive line for the upcoming season, which requires reinforcements. He is considered relatively inexperienced but possesses significant potential. At the Michigan Wolverines, he served as team captain, following in the footsteps of football icon Tom Brady.
«I’ve shown that I can run fast and catch the ball. But many people appreciate that I can block well. There aren’t many tight ends in the NFL and college who can do both,» Klein explained his strengths, emphasizing his leadership qualities. «What defines me is how I interact with others. I have a relationship with those who do my laundry or make my breakfast. Many guys saw me as a role model.»
According to Klein, he has never considered an alternative to his NFL aspirations. He moved to the USA in 2019 after graduating from high school. «Sometimes I say: change tires. But I don’t know. My Plan A was always: I’ll move to the USA and make it to the NFL. And Plan B was always that Plan A works out,» he said.
The other six German players in the draft, Paul Rubelt (Frankfurt/Oder), Mark Petry (Hochheim), Florian Stahler (Cologne), Maurice Heims (Hamburg), Felix Leppen (Witzenhausen), and Leo Blumentritt (Weichs), are still waiting to see if they will be drafted.