Heisman Finalist Collin Klein Not Offered Contract by Houston Texans

The 3rd-place finisher in the 2012 Heisman Trophy voting is an NFL hopeful without a contract to play under.

Collin Klein, the former Kansas State quarterback, was given a tryout by the Houston Texans after going undrafted in April, and things reportedly went well during his workout. Texans Head Coach Gary Kubiak had glowing things to say about Klein, and it looked for all the world as if he had a legitimate chance to make it with Houston.

Then, on Tuesday, it was made public that Houston passed on offering Klein a contract, leaving the quarterback in the free agent pool. There was admitted skepticism surrounding the possibility of Klein latching on long-term in Houston (mostly due to the existence of Matt Schaub, TJ Yates, Stephen McGee, and Case Keenum), but after Kubiak’s comments, this move is a surprise for some.

Klein had a tremendous 2012 season with the Wildcats, accounting for 39 touchdowns (16 passing, 23 rushing) and over 3,500 yards of total offense. He was the captain and leader of the 11-2 squad, and as a result, transformed himself into a Heisman front-runner at various points during the year.

However, Klein’s shortcomings as a passer have apparently left the NFL wanting more, and outside of some sparse interest in moving him off of the QB position (a la Tim Tebow), it appears that Klein will have to go elsewhere to continue his quarterback development. With his physical tools and arm strength, Klein is a long-term prospect despite his lack of polish, and all it takes is one team to latch on a player. It is easy to root for a guy like Klein, and without the Tebow-like circus, it will be riveting to follow his next steps as he pursues his dream.