Kylen Granson

Kylen Granson (born March 27, 1998) is an American football tight end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Rice and SMU before being drafted by the Colts in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Early years
Granson was born in DeMotte, Indiana, and grew up in Austin, Texas, where he attended Westlake High School. Granson was named second-team All-District 14-6A as a senior. He was not heavily recruited and committed to play college football at Rice over an offer from Harvard.

College career
Granson began his collegiate career playing wide receiver for the Rice Owls. As a freshman he caught 33 passes for 381 yards and two touchdowns followed by 18 receptions for 241 yards in his sophomore season. Granson left the program following the firing of Rice head coach David Bailiff and enrolled at Austin Community College, hoping to join the Texas Longhorns as a walk-on. Granson had a chance encounter with Bailiff on the University of Texas campus, who did not know that he had left Rice and began contacting college coaches on Granson's behalf. SMU coach Sonny Dykes offered Granson a spot as a walk-on.

Granson sat out his first season at SMU per NCAA transfer rules and was awarded a scholarship. As a redshirt junior, he caught 43 passes for 721 yards and nine touchdowns and was named second-team All-American Athletic Conference (AAC). He was named first-team All-AAC after finishing his redshirt senior season with 35 receptions for 536 yards and five touchdowns. Granson's 14 touchdown receptions set a new school record for tight ends.

Professional career
Granson was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth round with the 127th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He signed his four-year rookie contract with Indianapolis on May 19, 2021. As a rookie, Granson recorded 11 receptions for 106 yards in the 2021 season.

Granson made his first start in Week 2 of the 2022 season against the Jaguars. He finished the 2022 season with 31 receptions for 302 yards.

Granson scored his first NFL touchdown in September 2023 against the Houston Texans. In the 2023 season, he made seven starts and appeared in 15 games. He finished with 30 receptions for 368 yards and one touchdown.