A Bold Opinion on MSU's Michael Masunas

Now, Masunas is healthy and having the best season of his Spartan career. The redshirt junior already has a career-best seven receptions for 94 yards and two touchdowns. 

If he continues at this pace, he will catch 21 passes for 282 yards and six touchdowns. These numbers may not jump off the stat sheet, but that touchdown total would tie Josiah Price’s from 2015. 

Many consider Price to be the Spartans’ best tight end of the last decade. Fans have long waited for a tight end as consistent as Price, and that player has not been on the team since Price left in 2016. 

Michael Masunas in Spartan TE history

MSU has tried to fix its next Price since his departure. 

A trio of Matts: Sokol. Dotson. Seybert. 

A punter convert in Tyler Hunt. 

A couple of transfers in Daniel Barker and Maliq Carr. 

None has been the presence Price was. 

Until now. 

Masunas will be Michigan State’s best tight end since Price. 

While Jack Velling starts and takes more snaps, MSU’s offense moves more efficiently when targeting Masunas. Velling was a highly sought-after transfer prospect, but Masunas has tied his total touchdown output as a Spartan in only four games. 

MSU likes to use Masunas primarily as a run-blocker, and he is effective in that role, but he should get more opportunities in the passing game. He has caught all seven targets thrown his way and has not dropped a pass. 

According to Pro Football Focus, Masunas is the ninth-highest-graded tight end in college football and the third-highest in the Big Ten. 

He has earned the right to see more targets as Big Ten play continues, as he has been one of the Spartans’ most effective pass-catchers. 

Once that happens, Masunas has the chance to etch himself in the MSU history books.

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