Michigan State Spartans: Prototype of a tight end

In football, prototypes are important. In the NFL, for example, teams have their non-negotiables when it comes to measurables, traits or intangibles for a particular position. A team may need a 3-4 outside linebacker (these days, this position is collectively referred to as an edge rusher), but if that player doesn’t fit their prototype, say 6’4, 250 pounds, they may leave him out.

The same team could be looking for a 6’5″, 275lb defensive end with a five-technique. Even in college football, coaching staffs have their prototypes. The Michigan State Spartans have their prototypes under head coach Jonathan Smith, and perhaps the most notable of these is the tight end position.

Tight ends coach Brian Wozniak has been heavily courting the position for 2025, 2026 and even 2027. He is targeting big, athletic, “basketball”-type tight ends who can be playmakers down low. It’s hardly a new style of tight end. The modern tight end has become a valuable asset in the passing game, even more so than before. Tight ends can be used out wide or in the slot just as they once were in the line.

Wozniak seems to prefer tight ends around 6’6″, almost the size of a basketball forward. Look at his two 2025 commitments. Three-star tight ends Emmett Bork and Jayden Savoury are both 6’6″. Both play well in contested situations and can win the ball in the huddle. Both are smooth athletes.