Michigan State Football Positional Preview: Tight Ends
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Michigan State's approach at tight end this offseason was a little surprising.
The Spartans lost both of their top two tight ends from the 2025 season. Jack Velling ran out of eligibility and became a UDFA signing with the Atlanta Falcons, and Michael Masunas transferred to Texas. MSU seemed relatively content with what it already had, though. Here's a look at every member of the tight end room, as well as the coach:
Position Coach: Brian Wozniak
Brian Wozniak is one of the few assistant coaches from last year who were retained by Pat Fitzgerald. He's the only retainee who had followed Jonathan Smith from Oregon State to East Lansing.
A major reason Wozniak may have been retained is his own Midwestern roots. Nearly every assistant coach on Fitzgerald's staff is either from the Midwest or has coached in the region for a long time. Wozniak is from Loveland, Ohio, and played tight end at Wisconsin from 2009-14, winning a trio of Big Ten Championships.
Projected Top Two
Jayden Savoury
One of fall camp's biggest risers has been Jayden Savoury. He only appeared in four games as a true freshman, making one catch against Boston College, but he seems ready to take on a significant role in the Spartans' offense during his second year with the program. Savoury's weight is up 13 pounds from last year to 253 pounds, and he's even grown an inch from 6'4" to 6'5".
Savoury is young, but he has the highest ceiling at tight end for this fall. He's got a big frame already, but he's got some good hands and athleticism, and offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan was impressed with Savoury's growth as a blocker last week. If he's not Michigan State's starting tight end, he's only just behind the next player listed.
Brennan Parachek
Holding the next spot is Brennan Parachek. He's entering his fourth year with the program -- he and star linebacker Jordan Hall are actually the only two scholarship players remaining from MSU's 2023 recruiting class. Parachek redshirted last year during his true junior season, not making a catch. He does still have 14 career receptions for 118 yards.
Parachek should have a more substantial role again this year. He was the Spartans' TE2 during the 2024 season, based on snap counts. I don't view Parachek as quite as well-rounded a tight end as Savoury, but he should be another threat for Michigan State in the pass game this coming fall.
In His Own Category - Carson Gulker
Ferris State transfer Carson Gulker is the biggest wild card on MSU's entire roster. He can go run a route, take a carry, or throw a pass at any given moment. The possibilities of what he could do in the Spartans' new offense are infinite, but one also wonders just how much of Gulker's skill set will translate from Division II to the Big Ten.
The overall numbers are pretty extraordinary. Gulker accounted for an insane 73 total touchdowns during his career; he threw for 16 touchdowns, rushed for 50 scores, and caught seven touchdown passes during his time in Big Rapids. Last season was Gulker's first season really playing tight end at FSU. He finished with 1,089 yards from scrimmage (548 receiving, 541 rushing) and 12 total touchdowns (seven receiving, five rushing).
Other Potential Contributors
Kai Rios
Also in the mix is Kai Rios. He'll likely be more of a blocking specialist for Michigan State this coming season. Rios only ran three routes during his first year with the Spartans last year after transferring in from Indiana State. One of those was a one-yard touchdown catch in the season finale against Maryland. Rios had seven catches for 61 yards and one score during the 2024 season at the FCS level.
Eddie Whiting
True freshman Eddie Whiting has also gotten off to a nice start in his college career. He finished ranked outside the top 1,000 overall players in the 2026 recruiting class, but his offer list, which featured Alabama, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and many other Power Four schools, felt like that of a 4-star prospect. If Whiting were to play, it may be during more obvious passing downs, as he's probably a better receiver than he is a blocker right now.
Joe Caudill
This year probably won't be the one where freshman Joe Caudill takes on a huge role. He's one of Michigan State's highest-ranked recruits in its 2026 class, getting a 4-star mark by Rivals. Caudill is switching from playing quarterback and linebacker in high school to being a tight end in college, though. It may take a year or two for him to truly learn the position and put on some weight.
Non-Scholarship Tight Ends: Charlie Baker and Ethan Melville
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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