Michigan State’s Jack Velling Eyes Mackey Award Glory: Can He Become the Next Elite Tight End?

Once again, Michigan State’s tight end Jack Velling finds himself in the spotlight, making the Mackey Award watchlist for a consecutive year—an honor reserved for the nation’s top college tight end. There’s a buzz swirling around him as he gears up for his senior year, and honestly, it’s well deserved. After all, last season saw Velling transition from Oregon State to East Lansing, chasing his coach Jonathan Smith and setting a personal best with 36 catches, even if the yardage and touchdowns didn’t quite match his earlier exploits with the Beavers. While some eyebrows were raised over the dip in his stats—just one touchdown compared to eight before—the struggles of the Spartan offense, especially the shaky pass protection, paint a fuller picture. Jack’s gearing up to prove that last year was just a blip, and trust me, you’ll want to keep an eye on this season. LEARN MOREFor the second year in a row, Michigan State football tight end Jack Velling is on the Mackey Award watchlist. The Mackey Award is given to the top tight end in college football, and there is a lot of hype around Velling heading into his senior season.Last year, Velling made the watchlist after transferring to MSU from Oregon State, following his coach Jonathan Smith from Corvallis. While Velling did set a career-high in receptions with 36, his 411 yards were a step back from what he did in his sophomore season with the Beavers. Some fans were also disappointed in the production (Velling only caught one touchdown pass compared to eight the year prior with Oregon State), although I think it’s fair to say the lower production wasn’t exactly his fault as the Spartans’ offense sputtered at times with some weak pass protection.

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