Cade Stover NFL Draft Overview
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 247 pounds
Position: Tight End
School: Ohio State
2024 NFL Draft: Cade Stover Scouting Report
Initially committing to the Buckeyes as a linebacker recruit, Cade Stover‘s career has been anything but ordinary. For his first two years on campus, Stover was primarily a linebacker, appearing in just three games and logging five tackles and a forced fumble. Prior to the 2021 season, he made the transition to tight end but ended up pulling double duty. His season culminated in five catches and 76 yards while adding 11 tackles and half of a tackle for loss. Most of that productivity on the defensive side of the ball same during the Buckeyes win in the Rose Bowl as he had to fill in due to a shortage of players at the position.
Stover became the lead tight end for the Buckeyes in the 2022 season where he appeared in 13 games and put up the best season from an Ohio State tight end in over a decade. Stover ended up with 406 yards and five touchdowns off of 36 receptions. It was the first time an Ohio State tight end recorded five touchdowns since 2011 and the most yards since 1995.
Then, in 2023, he became an integral part of the Ohio State offense, even alongside a number of future first-round talents. His 576 yards is the third-best single-season mark by an Ohio State tight end and the best since 1983. Stover added five more touchdowns to his stat sheet, surpassing the great John Frank for third all-time for a Buckeye tight end.
Strengths
- Polished route runner
- Can both make defenders miss and run them over after the catch
- Very explosive off the line
- Moves incredibly well for his size
- Improved as a blocker as he got more reps
- Solid frame and size
- Strong at the catch point; can win 50/50 balls by taking the ball away
Weaknesses
- Still very raw as an in-line blocker
- Not the fastest (4.65 40 at the combine)
- Needs more bend and sink when running routes
- Will likely be more of a project than a day-one impact player
Player Comp: Dawson Knox
Projected Round: Third Round
Best Fits: Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Chargers
Bottom Line on Cade Stover
Overall, Stover is a low-risk, high-reward type of pick in this year’s class. As a football player, Stover is very solid. He’s a coach’s dream. He’s a bona fide leader as a two-time captain for the Buckeyes. Stover was a security blanket for the Ohio State offense at times and often both CJ Stroud and Kyle McCord looked to him to convert third down.
With his strengths comes the knowledge that Stover is very raw as a tight end prospect. He plays like a linebacker who just so happens to catch passes at times. He’s from the Brian Hartline school of route running, so he has a leg up on a lot of his competition in that respect. However, he will need a bit of refinement at the next level.
Stover has the potential to be a legitimate steal in a league that pretends it doesn’t care about tight ends.
Main Image: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
