Detroit Lions star visits Michigan State to speak to key position group

LeVar Woods was considered one of Pat Fitzgerald’s best hires when the new head coach was piecing together his staff. Michigan State fans were thrilled that they had finally hired an elite special teams coordinator — it had felt like an eternity since the last time special teams were great across the board.

The Woods hire is expected to pay off early on as he’s already landed a new punter, a new kicker, and long-snappers. The special teams units have hit the reset button.

Having Woods on the staff also comes with some benefits. One of those benefits is getting some local NFL stars to come talk to the team. Having been at Iowa for over a decade, Woods built relationships with some really talented players who made it to the NFL. One of those players happens to be Detroit Lions star tight end Sam LaPorta.

Brian Wozniak probably wanted to make this request to Woods the second he was hired. These are the types of things that will bring top recruits around. Knowing that the staff has NFL connections and guys who play or who have played in the league are coming to campus all the time to speak to the team — these young players can pick their brains. Getting to the NFL is the goal for all of them.

Picking LaPorta’s brain had to be a dream for all these guys.

Michigan State’s tight ends have plenty of potential

There are a lot of position groups that I’m excited to watch this season, and although it doesn’t get talked about enough, the tight end group is one I’m pumped about.

Wozniak is one of two coaches who have been re-hired by Fitzgerald, and there’s a good reason for that. The third-year tight ends coach is one of the best in the business and he’s gotten some guys to the NFL himself. He seems to connect with his guys pretty well and I really think the rest of the offense held his group back over the past two seasons.

There just wasn’t effective play-calling, decision-making, nor execution most of the time. That falls on the head coach and offensive coordinator.

I’m excited to see what Wozniak can do with a really talented young group of Jayden Savoury, Joey Caudill, and Eddie Whiting and a new coaching staff that promises an Alabama-like offense. Mix in veterans Carson Gulker and Brennan Parachek and you have one of the more intriguing position groups on the team with sky-high potential.