About A. J. Klein

Aaron James Klein (born July 30, 1991) is an American former professional football linebacker who played eleven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Iowa State Cyclones. He was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL draft.

Early life
Klein attended Kimberly High School where he was a letterman in football and track. His football team went 37–1 during his career. He led team to back-to-back Division II state championships in his final two seasons. He recorded 121 tackles, five sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries as a senior, and his career included 287 tackles, 17 sacks and two interceptions.

In track & field, Klein competed as a sprinter in spring of 2008. During the indoor season, he competed in the 55-meter dash and recorded a personal-best time of 7.01 seconds at the Oshkosh HS Invite. He competed in the 100-meter dash during the outdoor season, earning a 5th-place finish at the WIAA Regional with a time of 11.8 seconds.

Considered a three-star recruit by Rivals.com, he accepted a scholarship offer from Iowa State over offers from Northern Illinois, Western Michigan and Wyoming.