A surprisingly early draft pick signals that a German-born tight end has officially arrived in the NFL

Klein, projected as a late-round pick, had no specific dream team in mind. “My family has their favourites, but I prefer to see how things pan out,” he told SID before the draft. Now he’s heading to the Texans, where he’s guaranteed a multi-million-dollar salary. Houston has never won a championship, but has made the playoffs regularly in recent seasons.

Next season, Klein will compete for a spot on the offensive line, a unit in need of reinforcement. He is regarded as relatively inexperienced but possesses considerable upside. At Michigan, he recently served as team captain, just as football icon Tom Brady once did.

“I’ve shown I can run fast and catch the ball, but people also appreciate my blocking. There aren’t many tight ends in the NFL or in college who can do both,” Klein said, then emphasizing his leadership. “What sets me apart is how I treat others. I have a relationship with the people who do my laundry or make my breakfast. A lot of guys have looked up to me as a role model.”

Klein, who moved to the U.S. in 2019 after finishing school, says he never had a backup plan. “Sometimes I say: change tyres. But I don’t know. My Plan A was always: I’ll move to the US and make it into the NFL. And Plan B was always that Plan A would work out,” he said.

The other six Germans in the draft—Paul Rubelt (Frankfurt/Oder), Mark Petry (Hochheim), Florian Stahler (Cologne), Maurice Heims (Hamburg), Felix Leppen (Witzenhausen), and Leo Blumentritt (Weichs)—face a tougher battle to secure a roster spot.