| Elijah Klein | |
| Number: | 79 |
| Position: | Offensive guard |
| Current Team: | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Birth Date: | 8 April 2000 |
| Birth Place: | Pomona, California, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 4 |
| Weight Lb: | 319 |
| High School: | Upland (Upland, California) |
| College: | UTEP (2018–2023) |
| Draftyear: | 2024 |
| Draftround: | 6 |
| Draftpick: | 220 |
| Pastteams: |
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| Status: | Active |
| Highlights: |
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| Statseason: | 2024 |
| Statweek: | 6 |
| Statlabel1: | Games Played |
| Statvalue1: | 5 |
| Statlabel2: | Games Started |
| Statvalue2: | 0 |
| Pfr: | K/KleiEl00 |
Elijah Blue Klein (born April 8, 2000) is an American professional football offensive guard for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UTEP Miners and was selected by the Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL draft.
Klein was born on April 8, 2000, in Pomona, California.[1] [2] He was raised in Mount Baldy, CA and attended Upland High School in Upland, California, where he played two years on the varsity team and was named first-team All-Baseline League as a senior. He committed to play college football for the UTEP Miners as a two-star recruit.
Klein became a starter on the offensive line as a true freshman at UTEP in 2018, starting four games before deciding to redshirt. He played eight games, six as a starter at right guard in 2019, and then started all eight games in the same position in 2020. He was named honorable mention All-Conference USA in 2021, while starting 13 games at right guard, and won the honor again in 2022 while starting 12 games at right guard.[3] In his final season, 2023, he started 12 games and was named first-team All-Conference USA.[4] He finished his collegiate career having started 55 games.[5] Klein was invited to the 2024 East–West Shrine Bowl, but was not selected for the NFL Scouting Combine.[6]
Klein was selected in the sixth round (220th overall) of the 2024 NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.[7]