Punter-turned-tight end Tyler Hunt concludes unique career at Michigan State
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Not many college football players experience the type of career that Michigan State's Tyler Hunt has during his six years in East Lansing.
Hunt walked on to the Spartans' football program as an unrecruited prospect out of Gobles, Mich. — a small town of less than 1,000 people. He was a multi-sport athlete for his hometown Tigers, including the football team's quarterback and kicking specialists.
After enrolling at Michigan State in 2017, Hunt attended a walk-on tryout as a punter, and was given an opportunity to make the team by former Spartan head coach Mark Dantonio.
After redshirting in 2017, Hunt started five games at punter for MSU the following fall, but suffered a season-ending ACL tear in 2018. Hunt would go on to serve as Michigan State's place-kick holder and played on the kick return unit in 2019.
When current head coach Mel Tucker was hired in 2020, Hunt wanted to make a position change to tight end. At the time a redshirt junior, Hunt bulked up with the help of his brother, Travis King, to transform himself into a Big Ten tight end.
He played the position for the next three years in East Lansing, finishing his career with 37 receptions for 312 yards and a touchdown.
Talk about a drive @tyler_hunt2 will never forget.
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 16, 2021
First, the @MSU_Football punter-turned-TE completes his first pass, and then he scores his first TD. pic.twitter.com/Sr57y1hH5c
Hunt also had one carry in his career — an end-round at the goal line against Iowa which went for a touchdown. Hunt also completed a 15-yard pass to quarterback Payton Thorne on a reverse-pass trick play against Indiana in 2021, showing off his unique skillset as a multi-sport athlete.
Tight end handoff!@MSU_Football is on the board after @tyler_hunt2 stiff arms and leaps his way for a score. 💪 pic.twitter.com/suBUqjYwW4
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 7, 2020
How about this @MSU_Football trick play?!
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 16, 2021
The man throwing it is a punter-turned-TE, and the man catching it on the sideline is the QB. 🤯@tyler_hunt2 // @payton15thorne pic.twitter.com/ErquuTF2Zz
Now, after exhausting his collegiate eligibility, Hunt will pursue another dream — the 2023 NFL Draft. The sixth-year senior posted a farewell to Michigan State on his Facebook page on Thursday evening.
In addition to his receiving, rushing and passing statistics, Hunt attempted 36 punts during his redshirt freshman season in 2018, averaging 40.1 yards per attempt. He had three punts of over 50 yards, including a career-long of 63. Hunt downed 15 of 36 punts inside the opponents' 20 yard line.
You see one-handed catches every week.
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 20, 2018
But how often do you see a one-hand snap snag by the punter before booming a 60-yard punt? 🔥@MSU_Football's Tyler Hunt definitely did it #ForTheBrand: pic.twitter.com/cnU2R4bsec
Hunt was part of a group of players, including safety Xavier Henderson and tailback Elijah Collins, which stuck with the program during the transition from Dantonio to Tucker. All three of those players served as captains this season for Michigan State.
While his college numbers won't jump off the page, Hunt has proven an ability to beat the odds before with his unique career at MSU, and he'll carry that belief in himself into the pre-draft process this winter and into spring.
