With Colston Loveland now in the NFL, Marlin Klein has a real opportunity to shine in 2025 for the Michigan Wolverines. Here is his outlook for the upcoming football season:
Having to replace one of the greatest players at a position in program history is never an easy thing to do, but that is what the Michigan Wolverines are going to have to do at the tight end position. Colston Loveland was taken at No. 10 overall in the first round of the NFL Draft in April, leaving Michigan with a massive void at the position this year.
One of the top options to help carry the load in 2025 is Marlin Klein. The soon-to-be redshirt junior has a lot of potential and saw a uptick in playing time last season, which will surely help him heading into the new season.
The story so far
Klein was a three-star recruit in the 2022 class. He grew up in Germany, but came to America to play football at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School in Georgia. He didn’t have a ton of stats or accolades in high school, but he was on the radar of several big time schools — Arizona State, Florida State, Georgia, Ole Miss and more — before committing to Michigan.
He was able to preserve his redshirt after appearing in just two games as a true freshman. During the national championship 2023 season, he played in 10 games (eight at tight end) and made his first-career reception in the 49-0 blowout victory at Michigan State.
Klein — and all the other tight ends, for that matter — were expected to take a backseat to Loveland last season. However, when Loveland went down with an injury early in the year, Klein was one of the players to step up in his absence.
By season’s end, Klein played in all 13 games and compiled 13 receptions for 108 yards. He made six starts and was named the team’s Most Improved Player of the Year on Offense. A big reason why is because of his development as a blocker — as shown in the clip below, that was on full display against Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
Our man Marlin Klein is quickly becoming a blocking force.
He’s on the left side of the line.
He chips with Link then comes off to seal the LB. Text block blocking from the former Cologne Crocodile in Germany.Verdammt Gut! pic.twitter.com/8VEcRPlWju
— Due# (@JDue51) January 3, 2025
Outlook for 2025
His stats up to this point in his career won’t blow anybody away, but Klein has a real opportunity to take his game to the next level this fall. There will be stiff competition from Hogan Hansen, who he had an impressive true freshman season last year, but Klein is more than ready to take on a full work load.
“It’s really just knowing that I’m the guy now, the veteran in the room – really the offense in general,” Klein said this spring . “Just trying to be the best version of myself each and every single day.”
No one can single-handily replace a player like Loveland, but after waiting in the wings for three years, Klein has earned the right to be Michigan’s TE1 heading into the 2025 season.