Michigan State football’s rising star tight end, Jack Velling, has earned a major preseason honor, landing on the 2024 John Mackey Award Watch List. The award, presented annually to the nation’s top tight end, recognizes excellence in performance, leadership, and impact on the field.
Velling, who transferred to MSU after a standout season at Oregon State, arrives in East Lansing with high expectations. As a freshman, he quickly became one of the most dangerous tight ends in college football, posting impressive numbers and showing a rare combination of size, speed, and hands. His ability to stretch the field vertically and make contested catches in traffic has drawn comparisons to some of the game’s elite.
Now under head coach Jonathan Smith — who also coached him at Oregon State — Velling will be a central figure in Michigan State’s offensive attack. Smith has praised Velling’s work ethic, football IQ, and leadership, qualities that could help elevate not only his own game but also the Spartans’ offense as a whole.
The John Mackey Award Watch List features many of the best tight ends across the country, but Velling’s early success and proven production make him a legitimate contender. If he can replicate — or even surpass — his numbers from last season, his case for the award will only strengthen as the season unfolds.
For Michigan State fans, Velling’s recognition is a promising sign of the program’s growth under Smith. It also signals that the Spartans have a player capable of impacting games at the highest level, both in the Big Ten and nationally. With a challenging schedule ahead, Velling’s performance could be a deciding factor in how far this team goes in 2024 — and whether he hears his name called as the nation’s best tight end come De
cember.
