When Jonathan Smith made his way to East Lansing to be Michigan State football's next coach, one of the most coveted players that followed him was tight end Jack Velling. At 6-foot-5, 245 pounds, Velling has a prototypical frame for a potential NFL tight end. This led him to 29 catches for 438 yards and eight touchdowns as a true sophomore in 2023 for Oregon State.
In 2024, however, he never broke out and became the elite target Spartan fans were hoping for. He racked up 36 receptions for 411 yards and only a single touchdown.
Last year wasn't exactly a bad year for Velling; it just wasn't that big a leap forward that fans were expecting. The good news is that scouts haven't lost hope in Velling.
Pro Football Focus still sees Velling as a future NFL draft pick and one of the top returning tight ends in the country.
🟢 Jack Velling, Michigan State
— PFF College (@PFF_College) May 9, 2025
🟠 Miles Kitselman, Tennessee
10 Tight End Prospects to Know in the 2026 NFL Draft⬇️https://t.co/90mF1btjRi
With Aidan Chiles getting another year of learning the offense under his belt, it should pay dividends in the passing game. Not to mention, offensive line play should be some of the best we have seen in years, potentially since the glory days of Mark Dantonio. This should create more routes, targets, and red zone opportunities drawn up for Velling in 2025.
Like I stated above, Velling has great size for the position. He has a diverse route tree for a tight end and can be a reliable red zone target.
This will be his third season getting to work with Chiles, so the strong chemistry they hold can only grow stronger and more reliable.
Jonathan Smith and offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren also had another offseason to fully install their playbook with Michigan State. Each player should have a better grasp of it in year two.
As we know, Smith loves to establish the run game and win at the line scrimmage. What coach doesn't? The difference is Smith will utilize this advantage by running play action. This is a spot where Velling could thrive in 2025.
With Velling entering his senior year, I would not be shocked at all to see him selected to an All-Big Ten team. He has all the tools to put together an elite tight end season that Michigan State hasn't seen in ages.