Kylen Granson Bio
Kylen Granson is an American professional football tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Rice Owls and SMU Mustangs before being selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL draft. Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing 248 pounds, Granson has developed into a reliable pass-catching tight end known for his production in the red zone and his football intelligence.
Early Life and Background
Kylen Granson was born on March 27, 1998, in DeMotte, Indiana, and grew up in Austin, Texas. He attended Westlake High School, where he developed into a multi-sport athlete and played football for the Chaparrals. As a senior, Granson was named second-team All-District 14-6A, a recognition that highlighted his growth as a wide receiver and tight end prospect.
Despite his production at the high school level, Granson was not heavily recruited by major college programs. He ultimately chose to play college football at Rice over a reported offer from Harvard. His path to professional football would eventually take him through two college programs, a stop at a community college, and several seasons of patient development before he reached the NFL.
Path to the NFL
Granson began his collegiate career as a wide receiver at Rice University, where he immediately contributed as a freshman, catching 33 passes for 381 yards and two touchdowns. His production dipped slightly in his sophomore year, when he recorded 18 receptions for 241 yards. Following the firing of Rice head coach David Bailiff, Granson left the program and enrolled at Austin Community College, hoping to join the Texas Longhorns as a walk-on.
A chance encounter with his former coach, David Bailiff, on the University of Texas campus changed the course of Granson’s career. Bailiff, unaware that Granson had left Rice, began contacting college coaches on his behalf, and SMU head coach Sonny Dykes offered Granson a spot as a walk-on. After sitting out a season under NCAA transfer rules, Granson earned a scholarship and was named second-team All-American Athletic Conference in 2019, then first-team All-AAC in 2020. He finished his SMU career with 14 touchdown receptions, setting a new school record for tight ends.
Kylen Granson Career
Early Career (2021–2022)
The Indianapolis Colts selected Kylen Granson in the fourth round with the 127th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. He signed his four-year rookie contract on May 19, 2021, and began his first NFL training camp with the Colts. As a rookie, Granson appeared in multiple games and recorded 11 receptions for 106 yards during the 2021 season, giving Indianapolis a developmental tight end to groom behind its veteran pass-catchers.
In 2022, Granson earned his first NFL start in Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, a sign that the Colts were ready to expand his role within the offense. He responded with a productive second season, finishing the year with 31 receptions for 302 yards. The improvement from his rookie year established him as a regular contributor in Indianapolis’s passing game.
Indianapolis Colts Breakthrough (2023–2024)
Granson recorded his first NFL touchdown in September 2023 against the Houston Texans, a milestone that validated his development as a receiving threat at the professional level. In the 2023 season, he made seven starts and appeared in 15 games, finishing with 30 receptions for 368 yards and one touchdown. His role within the Colts offense continued to grow as he became a more consistent target on intermediate routes and in scoring situations.
Heading into the 2024 season, Granson announced that he would wear a Guardian Cap during practices and games to better protect himself from brain injuries. At the time, he was one of only two Colts players to commit publicly to wearing the device, which some other players had declined to use for aesthetic reasons. His willingness to prioritize health over appearance drew attention around the league and reflected his long-term approach to his career.
Philadelphia Eagles Era (2025–Present)
On March 20, 2025, Kylen Granson signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, beginning a new chapter in his professional career. The move to Philadelphia placed him in an offense known for utilizing tight ends in diverse roles, including inline blocking, motion, and pass-catching mismatches. His familiarity with the West Coast offensive concepts used in Indianapolis gave him a foundation to contribute early in the Eagles’ system.
Granson’s veteran experience and red-zone production made him an attractive addition for Philadelphia, which sought to add depth and competition at the tight end position. With a contract running through the 2025 season, he has the opportunity to compete for a meaningful role in the Eagles’ rotation and to extend his career beyond his rookie deal with Indianapolis.
Driving Style and Strengths
Granson is known for his precise route-running, reliable hands, and football intelligence, traits that have helped him find space against zone defenses and create mismatches against linebackers. His background as a converted wide receiver gives him the speed and athleticism to separate at all three levels of the field, while his time in the Colts offense refined his blocking and in-line responsibilities.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Granson’s career highlights are his fourth-round selection in the 2021 NFL draft, his first NFL touchdown against the Houston Texans in 2023, and his school-record 14 touchdown receptions at SMU. His decision to wear a Guardian Cap during the 2024 season also became one of the most discussed player-led safety choices of that year.
Kylen Granson Career Wins
Across his professional career, Kylen Granson has accumulated verifiable production as a pass-catching tight end for the Indianapolis Colts. In his four seasons with the Colts from 2021 through 2024, he recorded 72 receptions for 776 yards and one touchdown, with his strongest statistical season coming in 2022.
Indianapolis Colts Highlights
Granson’s most productive season with Indianapolis came in 2022, when he recorded 31 receptions for 302 yards and earned a starting role. He added 30 receptions for 368 yards and his first career touchdown in 2023, then continued to serve as a rotational tight end during the 2024 season. His growth from a fourth-round developmental prospect into a multi-year contributor represented one of the quieter success stories of the Colts’ drafting during that stretch.
Other Wins and Performances
At the college level, Granson earned second-team All-AAC honors in 2019 and first-team All-AAC recognition in 2020, the latter of which capped his record-setting senior season at SMU. He also earned second-team All-District 14-6A honors as a senior at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas.
Kylen Granson Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Kylen Granson’s immediate family remains limited, with few details about his parents or siblings widely reported. His journey through Rice, Austin Community College, and SMU was shaped largely by his own perseverance and the mentorship of coaches such as David Bailiff and Sonny Dykes.
Personal Life
Kylen Granson is married to Daisy Foko. The two were wed in a ceremony officiated by author John Green, a detail that has drawn interest from fans familiar with Green’s work. Granson maintains an active presence on social media, where he shares updates about his football career and personal milestones.
2025 Season Performance
Kylen Granson entered the 2025 NFL season with the Philadelphia Eagles after signing a one-year contract in March 2025. His move to Philadelphia reunited him with a competitive tight end room and offered him a chance to contribute in an offense that values versatile tight ends. Early in the season, Granson has focused on earning a consistent role in the Eagles’ rotation and building chemistry with the team’s quarterbacks.
Granson’s familiarity with the Colts’ offensive system under previous coaching staffs provided a foundation for adapting to Philadelphia’s scheme, which emphasizes tempo, pre-snap motion, and tight end usage in both the run and pass game. His ability to line up inline, in the slot, and out wide gives the Eagles flexibility when designing red-zone and third-down packages.
With his contract running through the end of the 2025 season, Granson’s performance this year will likely shape his long-term outlook in the league. A productive campaign in Philadelphia could position him for a multi-year deal and solidify his standing as a dependable NFL tight end, while continued production in the passing game would reinforce the development he has shown since his time at Rice and SMU.