The Atlanta Falcons have had plenty to think about across the last few weeks, including a Kyle Pitts extension. Pitts will most likely play on the tag in 2026 before receiving an extension, but in a Kevin Stefanski-run offense where tight ends are king, exploring all avenues at the position is a guarantee.
While the Falcons officially in draft mode, they're also getting a closer look at some intriguing TE prospects from the 2026 NFL Draft. And according to CBS Sports' Shanna McCarriston, they have a top 30 visit on the horizon with one of the top guys at the position in Michigan tight end Marlin Klein.
There's no guarantee that Pitts will be with the Dirty Birds long-term, but even if he was locked in, I'm sure Stefanski and Ian Cunningham would be doing their homework on the tight ends. After all, Atlanta will employ a 2-TE set and Austin Hooper isn't a long-term fix at second on the depth chart.
The Falcons are conducting a 30 visit with Michigan tight end Marlin Klein
Klein isn't the biggest name in this class, but the German tight end has some sneaky Day 3 value. While his receiving numbers are nothing to phone home about, the 23-year-old was a key contributor in the blocking game for a Wolverines' offense that averaged over 200 rushing yards a game in 2025.
The former three-star recruit was a member of Michigan's national championship team back in 2023, but he spent most of his college career playing behind Colston Loveland. And it wasn't until Loveland left for the NFL that Klein was able to carve out a meaningful role in Michigan's offensive game plan.
Klein caught just 24 passes for 248 yards in 2025, yet still finished third on the team in receiving for a passing offense that struggled with true freshman Bryce Underwood starting at QB. So his numbers are a bit skewed, especially compared to how the offense fared with J.J. McCarthy starting before.
However, Klein is worth a flyer on Day 3 of the draft. Standing at 6-foot-6 and 248 pounds, he has the size to help Atlanta get more physical as a run blocking team, so even though his 4.61 40-yard dash and 1.64 10-yard split times aren't great, he isn't someone a team would draft to be a vertical threat.
If the Falcons were to draft Klein, odds are he would assume the role Charlie Woerner currently plays as a rotational tight end mostly used as a run blocker, but could step up as a pass-catcher if need be. And given the late-Day 3 price tag on a pretty underrated player, he could be worth rolling the dice on.