Cade Stover, TE Ohio State: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Stover was a four-star outside linebacker recruit from Lexington High School in Lexington, Ohio in the class of 2019

Ohio State tight end Cade Stover projects as one of the top five tight ends in the 2024 NFL Draft. He isn’t as explosive as some of the other tight ends in this class, but his consistency and willingness to contribute as a blocker should help his stock.

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Cade Stover, TE Ohio State: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Redshirt senior tight end from Mansfield, Ohio

Background: Stover was a four-star outside linebacker recruit from Lexington High School in Lexington, Ohio in the class of 2019. He was the No. 114 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 96 for Rivals, and No. 114 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 268th in the nation with an 81 grade out of 100. Stover began his college career as a defensive end in 2019 before shifting to tight end for future seasons. He played some linebacker for the Buckeyes late in 2021, including against Michigan and in the Rose Bowl against Utah. As a high school sophomore, Stove amassed 190 tackles as Lexington went to the regional finals. As a senior, he was the Ohio Cardinal Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Ohio’s Division III Defensive Player of the Year, Ohio’s Mr. Football as decided by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association, and a First Team All-State honoree. That year, Stover totaled 178 tackles, two forced fumbles, and four interceptions. Additionally, he compiled 1,477 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground as a running back. Stover was the 2018-19 Ohio Football Gatorade Player of the Year. He was also a star on the hardwood. Stover was a Second Team All-Ohio selection as a junior on Lexington’s basketball team and eventually set the school’s all-time scoring record. His mother, Chelsi, ran track at Bowling Green, and his father, Trevor, was a tight end at Bowling Green.

Injuries & Off-Field: Taken to the hospital following a back injury vs. Georgia in the 2022 season, fought through a knee injury in the second half of the 2023 season, missed Rutgers (2023) game with a knee injury

Awards: 2022 Third Team All-Big Ten (Media), 2023 First Team All-Big Ten (Media), 2023 Second Team All-Big Ten (Coaches), 2023 Big Ten Tight End of the Year, 2023 Team Captain

Pros: Special teams experience on the kick return, kick coverage, punt return, punt coverage, and field goal units, experience taking snaps in-line, the slot, at H-back, and out wide, physicality to work through contact mid-route, puts foot in the ground and makes sharp cuts over the MOF, enough speed to be respected up the seam, natural feel for finding holes in zone, natural hands catcher with two drops in the past two years, impressive collection of contested catches, stiff arm, competitive blocker, solid job working inside hand into the defender’s frame, generates good push on down blocks, examples of well-framed blocks opening running lanes by occupying defenders, comfortable climbing and picking off second level targets, overpowering blocker on the edge against DBs, drives DBs outside the tackles into the sideline

Cons: Age, arm length doesn’t pop, average athlete, lacks speed to overtake off coverage, creates limited separation against defensive backs, harassed by defenders early in his release with limited counters, defenders can sit and crowd the top of his stem, limited explosiveness to create after the catch, doesn’t break many tackles, taken down easily by low contact on tackles, doesn’t have the lower half to anchor at a high level, blocking is okay but disappointing at times, block strength is good but not great, inconsistent power at the POA, instances of being pushed backward in short yardage situations, ends up on the ground a decent amount in the run game, inconsistent balance as a blocker, base as a run blocker gets narrow, lower and upper body become disconnected when blocking on the move, shed too quickly by defensive linemen, explosive defenders can knife across his face

Overview: Stover played roughly 530 total college special teams snaps split between the kick return, kick coverage, punt return, punt coverage, and field goal units. He lined up in-line, the slot, at H-back, and even out wide a little for the Buckeyes. Stover is an older prospect who needed time in college to transition from linebacker to tight end. He doesn’t appear to have above-average arm length and is an average athlete. Stover lacks the speed to overtake off coverage, but he needs to be respected working up the seam. The redshirt senior doesn’t create much separation against defensive backs, but he uses his physicality to work through contact mid-route and contend at the catch point. This physicality comes in handy when facing early contact near the line of scrimmage. Stover should still add some more counters and elements to his release package. Smart defenders sit on and crowd the tight end at the top of his stem, but he’s capable of punishing them by sticking his foot in the ground and making a sharp cut over the middle of the field. Stover has a natural feel for finding holes in zone coverage. He displays above-average hands and ball tracking with just two drops over the past two years. Stover isn’t a vertically explosive athlete who dominates at the catch point, but his strong hands and ball tracking contributed to several highlight reel snags over defenders. The Ohio native has a nice stiff arm after the catch, but his limited explosiveness prevents him from generating many extra yards. Additionally, he lacks the mass and contact balance to break tackles consistently. Stover is a competitive blocker who works his inside hand into the defender’s frame to establish leverage and maximize his power. He doesn’t have the thick lower half to anchor well in pass protection. His run blocking is okay but disappoints compared to “blocking tight ends” from past draft classes. Stover creates a decent push on down blocks, but his play strength and power at the point of attack are inconsistent. Defenders push him into the backfield on short yardage situations, and he ends up on the ground a bunch in the run game. The All-Big Ten selection seems to have the general technique for framing blocks properly, but his power and balance need work. His base becomes too narrow, and his lower and upper body become disconnected when blocking on the move. Linemen often have little issue shedding Stover’s blocks, and explosive defenders can knife across his face for easy penetration. Stover excels as a blocker when allowed to work outside and displace slot defenders, linebackers, or defensive backs while flowing toward the sideline.

Overall, Stover is an average athlete with some physical limitations and inconsistent tape as a blocker, but his versatility and reliability as an offensive contributor make him worth an early Day 3 pick. Stover projects best in a run scheme that lets him work toward the sideline and challenge defensive backs.

Role & Scheme Fit: In-line Y tight end in a wide zone scheme

Round Projection: Fourth Round

Size: 6'4", 251 lbs. (Unofficial)

Submitted: 02-28-24