2024 Rookie Profile: Cade Stover – Tight End

Profile Overview

• College: Ohio State
• Height: 6’4″
• Weight: 247 lbs
• Arm: 32 3/4
• Hands: 9 3/4
• 40 Time: 4.65
• 10 Yard Split: 1.59
• Vertical Jump: 34.50″
• Age: 23
• Year: Senior
• Draft Projection: 3rd/4th Round

College Career

Cade Stover played his high school ball at Lexington in Mansfield, OH. He didn’t start off playing tight end but played linebacker. He was Ohio’s Mr. Football and Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year in his senior season. He also played basketball, holding the all-time scoring title for Lexington. He committed to playing his college ball at Ohio State. During Stover’s first two years at Ohio State, he was a backup linebacker. During his 2021 season, he would move to tight end. He would get reps during the springtime in his early years, but most stayed at linebacker. The Ohio State tight end room was thin, and Stover switched to tight end. He would do very little in his third season but showed promise for the future.

In 2022, Stover would take over as the lead tight end for the team. A player who didn’t start as a tight end did well with over 400 yards. He would finish third in receptions and fourth in yards. During Stover’s final season, he would improve again with his YPR jump from 11.3 to 14. He would finish second in team receptions, yards, and touchdowns.

Strengths

Stover is a very interesting tight-end prospect. He fits the size of an NFL tight end. Stover is well-built and, due to his size, should be able to play in line and on the outside. He can explode off the line of scrimmage and take the first quick step. While running, he moves very comfortably on the field. He has a feel for spacing while running routes in the middle of the field. Stover has the size and will use his opportunities around the red zone to be considered a touchdown-upside player. He is tough at the point of the catch, as well. Stover shows some interesting upside that could translate well to the NFL and dynasty.

Ball Skills

One of Stover’s most intriguing strengths is his ball skills. On film, Stover shows an impressive ability to make some spectacular catches in bad situations. He can make some remarkable catches in traffic and adjust to the ball. Stover showed he could be a weapon in the passing game that an NFL team will fall in love with during the draft. He also proved he can handle balls thrown during contested catch situations. Stover should be able to make noise as a fantasy tight end prospect.

Potential Upside

As mentioned, an NFL team may take an early chance on Stover’s potential upside during the NFL draft. Stover has only been playing tight end for three seasons. He was a former linebacker who converted to tight end during his sophomore season. He became an essential piece in the Ohio State offense in less than two years. It should show how quickly he adapted to the position and was second in targets during his finals season.

It’s impressive with the strengths that he already possesses excellent traits for a prospect still learning the tight-end position. While some of Stover’s weaknesses may not develop to elite levels, he is coachable and should improve those areas. We’ve seen so many tight ends take years to develop, but Stover seems ahead of the curve.

Weaknesses

Stover’s experience at tight end is a weakness in his game. While he continues to learn the position, he shows off potential in his game. Stover could take time to be a full-time starter in the NFL. It takes a year or two to grasp the position at the NFL level fully. This brings me to his route tree, which needs to be expanded to be a dangerous tight end. Stover lacks the speed for an average athlete as he has a slow burst of the line of scrimmage. This also comes into play when he tries to separate from his defender, which is inconsistent.

I’ll have concerns with Stover’s ability to stretch the field due to his average speed for the position. He also may not be a player who sees many yards after the catch, either. I think the size that he was for his linebacker position has prevented Stover from showing off much speed. While I do see him being able to be coached up to reach a level where he is a full-time starter at the NFL level, he does have some work to do before that.

Dynasty Value/Draft Stock/Prediction

Stover will be one of those early-drafted tight ends that usually fall in rookie drafts. He will likely find third-round capital from a team that likes his potential at the next level. Stover had no top-30 visits, so I don’t see him making it in round two for a team. The best fit is for a team with a tight end already ahead that allows Stover to develop for a year or two before making an impact. While he did have meetings with the Texans and Bucs at the Combine, those wouldn’t be the best situations for him to see the starting role.

I could see teams like the Browns or Giants taking a third-round shot at Stover for this upside. He would likely need a spot that doesn’t already have a tight end in position to be drafted higher in rookie drafts. He would likely be a fourth-round pick or undrafted, depending on whether your league is tight end premium. I wouldn’t expect Stover to make that immediate impact, but he could be a value at the tight end position in a few seasons.

Rookie drafts are approaching fast. Be prepared with the #1 mock draft tool on the market. And it’s FREE. Available for iPhone and Android. Become a DynastyGM subscriber and sync your leagues with the Dynasty Nerds App to mock draft your actual teams.