Spartans may have one of the nation’s best in new transfer, Jack Velling
We have heard how Michigan State had one of the best transfer classes this offseason, and the tight end position is where we see one of new Head Coach Jonathan Smith’s best pulls, albeit one from his former school. Just a few weeks after MSU hired Smith, and just a few days after Oregon State QB Aidan Chiles announced his transfer selection, tight end Jack Velling also announced he would be joining the Spartans. Early talk ahead of the 2024 season indicates that Velling may be among the best TEs in the nation, and that is further indicated by him being placed on the John Mackey Award watchlist, an award that Georgia’s Brock Bowers won each of the last two seasons.
Like just about everywhere else on the roster, Michigan State sees a lot of turnover at the tight end spot.
Returning Players: Brennan Parachek, Tyneil Hopper, Michael Masunas, Ademola Faleye
Departed Players: Maliq Carr, Evan Morris, Jack Nickel, Jaylan Franklin, Jackson Morse
Transfers In: Jack Velling
Recruits In: Wyatt Hook, Charlie Baker, Reeves Taylor
Michigan State returns four tight ends who were in the program in some sort in 2023, and they are bringing in three true freshman and one transfer. Three guys transferred out, most notably Maliq Carr to Houston, while two players ran out of eligibility.
The prize of the freshman tight ends is Wyatt Hook from football powerhouse Homestead H.S. in Cupertino, CA. At 6’6” and 245 pounds, Hook is built just like Maliq Carr, and as a two-way player who also played OLB in high school, we can believe that he knows how to play physically.
Michael Masunas was a redshirt freshman in 2023, and he caught one pass in eight game appearances. Brennan Parachek was a true freshman last year and he, too, played in eight games while grabbing six receptions. Ademola Faleye played two seasons at Norfolk State, and then redshirted after transferring to MSU in 2023. He has nine career receptions. And Tyneil Hopper was granted a medical redshirt after suffering an injury in week three last year. He had only caught two passes on the season. Prior to that, he played four years at Boise State, though he only has 22 receptions to show for his time with the Broncos.
So, as you can see, there is not much proven depth in the tight end room. That just puts more on the shoulders of Jack Velling. The junior transfer, who stands 6’5” and 244, put up strong numbers in his two seasons at Oregon State. He has 45 catches for 719 yards and 11 TDs. Most importantly for us, he will be catching balls from a familiar QB and he will have the same head coach (Smith), offensive coordinator (Brian Lindgren), and TE coach (Brian Wozniak). We have to hope that the familiarity helps him continue to grow and that he can be a reliable target for Aidan Chiles.
Behind Velling, I imagine that Parachek, Hopper, and the freshman Hook will be the top competition for the remaining TE snaps. Along with WRs Montorie Foster Jr., Antonio Gates Jr., Jaron Glover, and Nick Marsh, the Spartans should have a formidable assembly of pass-catchers in 2024.