Ever since Urban Meyer’s first season with the Buckeyes, Ohio State has quietly been putting tight ends into the NFL. Of the full-time Ohio State tight ends since 2012, only Marcus Baugh (2018) and Jake Stoneburner (2012) ended up undrafted. Jeff Heuerman (2015, third round), Nick Vannett (2016, third round), Luke Farrell (2021, fifth round), Jeremy Ruckert (2022, third round), and now Cade Stover (2024, fourth round) were selected.
The Ryan Day offense doesn’t prioritize the tight ends like, say, Iowa. However, in the Day era, Stover developed into a reliable safety valve for C.J. Stroud and Kyle McCord. With him gone, there’s a surprisingly large power vacuum at the position.
Despite there being a fifth-year senior and an experienced incoming transfer at the position, it could be Jelani Thurman who takes the reins.
Is Jelani Thurman the Next Top Ohio State Tight End?
The Case for Thurman
As a recruit, Thurman was a four-star talent out of Georgia. He committed to the Buckeyes in July of 2022 as the third-best tight end in the nation. He was a member of 247Sports‘ “Freaks List.” With Stover at the top of the depth chart, it was obvious Thurman was going to take at least one year to develop in waiting.
Now, as a redshirt freshman, Thurman could take advantage of the power vacuum at tight end and the lack of overall experience at wide receiver. He appeared in five games, including a start in the Cotton Bowl.
Thurman’s greatest asset is his receiving ability. Ohio State has him listed at 6′-6″ and 258 pounds and he uses every inch for his catch radius. 247Sports credits him with an elite frame for the position and a massive catch radius. He had experience as an in-line tight end as well as split out.
Where he would need to improve is in blocking. Thurman was considered a willing blocker in high school but needed some refinement. Now, he’s considered one of the hardest-working players in the unit and enjoys physically moving people.
By all accounts out of Spring practice, he’s made strides and is being groomed to take on a larger role. According to an interview with Eleven Warriors, Thurman said he can bring, “Versatility” to the offense and, “A lot of playmaking, a lot of down and dirty blocks because I have gotten better at blocking. Just an exciting player.”
The Competition
It’s going to be an uphill battle for Thurman in 2024. He will factor into the rotation because he’s a college-ready receiver, so the blocking will be the question. However, he is fighting with a few Buckeyes for snaps.
First, and the most likely starter, is Gee Scott, Jr. Scott was a four-star wide receiver in the 2020 class but made the transition to the Ohio State tight end room after his first year. In 37 appearances, Scott has 20 receptions, 140 yards and two touchdowns. Now, the 6′-3″, 245-pound fifth-year senior is,”More of a tight end than ever,” as he put it.
While Thurman may have size on Scott, Scott is in his fifth year in the offense. Both will get plenty of snaps in 2024 as receiving threats, that much seems evident.
The other threat is the incoming transfer, Will Kacmarek. However, Kacmarek doesn’t look to be on the same level as the other two in terms of receiving. He was a co-starter at Ohio and was primarily a blocking tight end. In two years of action, Kacmarek hauled in 42 passes for 507 yards and two scores.
Kacmarek might lead the trio in snaps as the Chip Kelly-led offense will look to establish more of a rushing attack. However, he shouldn’t factor in as much as a receiver.
Realistic Expectations
When it comes to possibly the most naturally gifted of the Ohio State tight ends, there is a wide range of possibilities for this year. On the high end, he could take over the position and end up as a reliable receiving threat for Will Howard. On the low end, we may not see Thurman in the rotation until the game is out of hand because young tight ends rarely make an impact with Ohio State.
It would take a massive jump for Thurman to be the go-to tight end. In his true freshman season, he only played 24 snaps. 13 of which were in the Michigan State game where he logged his only two catches for 18 yards. In that Cotton Bowl start, he was on the field with Scott for the first two plays and that was it.
With the new offensive coordinator, it could be different. Kelly’s time at UCLA saw quite a bit of success from the position. In 2018, a tight end led all receivers in yards and receptions (Caleb Wilson). In 2019, a tight end was second in both (Devin Asiasi). Then, Greg Dulcich finished second in both 2020 and 2021.
Realistically, Thurman will finish second behind Scott in terms of Ohio State tight end receiving. However, he has the physical tools to take the job.
Stover’s departure means the Buckeyes need to fill over 600 snaps. Thurman may prove to be too good to keep stashed away for another year. Even if he ends up with 350 snaps as Scott had in 2023, Thurman can do more with his opportunities.
