Michigan State is set to kick off its 2026 campaign against Toledo this Friday at 8 p.m. ET on FS1. The Spartans are looking to a revamped tight end unit to fill the void left by departing players Jack Velling and Michael Masunas.
A four-player rotation to replace Velling and Masunas
The Spartans' offensive strategy for the 2026 season relies heavily on a rotating cast of tight ends to maintain freshness and tactical variety.. According to the report, the coaching staff intends to utilize roughly four players on a weekly basis to keep opposing defenses off balance. This depth is a direct response to the loss of significant contributors Jack Velling and Michael Masunas, whose departure left a vacuum of proven Big Ten production.
This shift toward a committee-based approach mirrors a broader trend in modern college football, where position groups prioritize specialized roles over a single, high-volume starter. By spreading the workload, Michigan State hopes to mitigate the impact of the production gap left by its former starters.
Parachek and Savoury lead a group of unproven producers
The current tight end roster features several players who are still working to establish themselves as reliable targets against top-tier competition. Fourth-year junior Brennan Parachek is expected to lead the group, despite having only 14 career catches for 118 yards and recording zero receptions during the previous season. As the report notes, the program is looking for a breakout performance from sophomore Jayden Savoury, who has emerged as a major riser during fall camp despite having only one career catch to his name.
Kai Rios, a transfer from Indiana State, provides a different dimension to this unit through his physical presence. While Rios saw only 15 offensive snaps during the 2025 season, he is widely regarded as the most effective blocker in the current rotation and is expected to see significantly more action this year.
The Ferris State transfer and the Alabama recruit
Michigan State is also leveraging unique skill sets and high-level recruiting to bolster its offensive versatility.. Senior Carson Gulker, a transfer from Division II program Ferris State , offers a rare combination of receiving, running, and passing abilities that could complicate defensive assignments. While his blocking is still being refined, his presence allows the offense to experiment with unconventional personnel groupings.
Freshman Eddie Whiting represents the long-term future of the position group after a highly competitive recruiting cycle. Whiting notably turned down scholarship offers from several powerhouse programs, including Alabama, Michigan, Florida, and Washington, to commit to the Spartans. His strong performance during spring ball has positioned him as a player capable of pushing for immediate snaps.
The uncertainty of Big Ten production for the 2026 opener
Several critical questions remain regarding how this new-look unit will perform under the pressure of conference play. It is still unclear if the rotation will remain stable if injuries strike the core four of Parachek, Savoury, Rios, and Gulker. furthermore, because none of the returning tight ends have established a track record of consistent production against elite Big Ten defenses, there is a lingering question of whether this "strength in numbers" approach can actually translate into reliable yardage.
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