Michigan State's Jack Velling runs after a catch against Rutgers during the second quarter on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Velling Showed Glimpses of Potential for MSU

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Dominic Minchella | Last updated Dec 23, 2024 12:16 PM ET

The Michigan State Spartans football season did not go according to plan after all the new faces showed up in East Lansing. While the season was not one to remember, one of the Spartans' most promising players returning for next season, tight end Jack Velling, showed glimpses of his true potential in his first season as a Spartan.

Velling transferred to MSU from the Oregon State Beavers after spending his freshman and sophomore seasons there. The junior tight end put up great numbers for the Beavers and had high expectations placed on him when coming over to MSU. While the hopes and expectations still remain, Velling did not live up to the hype completely.

This past season, Velling had a collegiate career-high in receptions with 36, had 411 receiving yards, averaged 11.1 yards per reception and scored one touchdown. While the numbers do look impressive as a college tight end, the years prior for Velling showed that he has more to pull out of his bag of tricks.

As a freshman with Oregon State, Velling had 16 receptions go for 281 yards, averaging 17.6 per reception. An incredible stat in the average yards per reception elevated Velling to get more love as a receiving threat in his sophomore season.

Velling's second season with the Beavers saw him make a bigger leap than what fans and scouts saw in his freshman season. Ending his final season with Oregon State with 438 yards on 29 receptions, Velling became a huge threat on offense. Averaging 15.1 yards per reception and landing eight touchdowns, Velling looked to be a big pick-up for MSU.

The potential shined through for Velling this season, but looking at his past seasons, it poses the question: could MSU pull the diamond out of the rough year that Velling had? The answer is yes.

Velling had two games this past season where he recorded 77 yards, and in his 12 games played, he averaged 34.25 yards a game. In what could have been an adjustment year to the new atmosphere, Velling should not be given up on by MSU fans, as he may shine through for the Spartans in 2025.

This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: