Michigan State reveals player representatives for Big Ten Media Days
East Lansing, Mich. – In just under two weeks, Michigan State will send four first-time representatives to Big Ten Media Days at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Junior tight end Jack Velling, junior defensive back Dillon Tatum and redshirt junior running back Nathan Carter will join first-year head coach Jonathan Smith at the conference’s annual gathering of coaches, players and media.
Velling followed Smith from Oregon State to Michigan State earlier this offseason. The Seattle native enjoyed a breakout season under Smith and offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren as a sophomore at Oregon State, catching 29 passes for 438 yards and eight touchdowns in 12 games last season.
Velling’s eight touchdowns broke the Oregon State program record for the most single-season touchdown receptions by a tight end. He also tied for the most touchdown receptions by a tight end in the FBS last season. As a result, Velling earned Second Team All-Pac 12 honors. He projects as a valuable playmaker at tight end this fall.
Tatum enrolled at Michigan State as a member of the program’s 2022 recruiting class, the second under former head coach Mel Tucker. Despite the turmoil of last season and eventual coaching change, Tatum chose to return to Michigan State for his junior season.
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Tatum played in nine games last season, including eight starts at cornerback, before missing the final three games with injury. The Farmington Hills, Mich., native logged 45 tackles (2.5 for a loss) and a team-high seven pass deflections last season. Despite playing all of last season at cornerback, Tatum repped at safety this spring. He will play a significant role as a versatile defender for Michigan State this fall.
Carter also chose to stick around after a less-than-ideal first season in East Lansing. Carter transferred into the Michigan State program ahead of the 2023 season after spending his first two years at Connecticut. The Rochester, N.Y., native started all 12 games for the Spartans and recorded a career-best 185 carries for 798 yards and four touchdowns. He earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors last season.
Carter again projects as a starter for Michigan State, but the new Spartan staff will rely on Massachusetts transfer Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams, among others, to help ease some of Carter’s workload.
This year’s Big Ten Media Days will take place over the course of three days (July 23-25), as opposed to the usual two, due to the conference’s recent expansion. Michigan State’s representatives will speak on July 24. Fans can watch the event on the Big Ten Network.
