Meet Cade Stover, the Houston Texans' newest Tight End and the No. 123 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft

Jake Furr, Mansfield News Journal

MANSFIELD — Cade Stover isn't in Lexington, Ohio, any more.

Or Columbus, Ohio, for that matter.

On Saturday, Stover was drafted in the 4th Round with pick No. 123 by the Houston Texans.

Stover was projected to be drafted between the third and fourth rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft by NFL analyst Lance Zierlein. He gave Stover an NFL comparison to Jake Ferguson, a tight end for the Dallas Cowboys who was drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 draft.

"Catch first, block second tight end whose jump in play as a receiving threat is going to be hard to ignore. Stover is a tight end conversion from the defensive side of the ball. He’s a little clunky getting off the line but really picks up the pace as the route unfolds. He starred as a high school hooper and that same athleticism can be found in his route running, high-point timing and run after catch. Stover possesses the tools to move in a positive direction as a run blocker but needs to upgrade his grit at the point of attack and effort as a move blocker. He’s an upside prospect with the potential to play in-line or flexed out and should become a productive starter within a couple of years.," Zierlein penned in his analysis.

Stover's strengths were listed as:

  • Capable of snapping off route breaks at very crisp angles.

  • Sticky hands and late separation bolstered win percentage when contested.

  • Athleticism shows up with footwork and catch adjustments.

  • “Elude” and “bludgeon” are both on his post-catch menu as a runner.

  • Initial quickness to hit lateral landmarks as zone blocker.

  • Centers up and widens out as base blocker.

Stover's weaknesses were listed as:

  • Needs to upgrade nastiness as an in-line blocker.

  • Blocks with average strain and below-average sustain.

  • Needs to maintain top speed in seam when searching for the throw.

Who is Cade Stover?

Stover was the Ohio Mr. Football Award winner in 2018 when he played high school football for the Lexington Minutemen in Lexington, Ohio. During his senior season, Stover led his team with 175 tackles, including 11 for loss, one sack, two forced fumbles, four interceptions and nine pass break-ups on defense.

Offensively, he was just as good, tallying 1,497 rushing yards on 205 carries going for 18 touchdowns. He also had 21 catches for 238 yards and a score.

After high school, Stover stayed close to home to play for one of the most prestigious college football programs in the country, Ohio State University.

This is how his career at OSU went:

2019: Redshirted. Played in 4 games as a reserve DE and on special teams (3 tackles).

2020: Played in 8 games at LB/TE (3 tackles, no receptions)

2021: Played in 13 games as a reserve (9 tackles, 5-76-15.2 receiving).

2022: Honorable Mention All-Big Ten Conference (36-406-11.3, 5 TDs). Suffered a back injury in the team's playoff semifinal loss to Georgia.

2023: Big Ten Conference Tight End of the Year, but second-team All-Big Ten Conference behind Michigan's Colston Loveland. Finalist for the John Mackey Award (nation's top tight end). Played in 12 games with 11 starts (41-576-14.1, 5 TDs).

Mar 20, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes tight end Cade Stover runs during Pro Day at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
Mar 20, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes tight end Cade Stover runs during Pro Day at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.

How Cade Stover graded out at the NFL Combine:

Height: 6-foot-4

Weight: 247 pounds

Arm: 32 3/4"

Hand: 9 3/4"

Production score: 76 (5th among TEs)

Athleticism score: 75 (7th among TEs)

Total score: 76 (5th among TEs)

40-yard dash: 4.65

10-yard split: 1.59

Vertical Jump: 34.5"

Broad Jump: 9-9

20-yard shuttle: 4.45

Prospect Grade: 6.26 (Will eventually be an average starter according to grade scale)

Little known facts about Cade Stover

  • Grew up on a cattle farm called Stover Farms.

  • Father, Trevor, played tight end at Bowling Green in the 1990s.

  • Is the all-time leading scorer in his high school's basketball program with 1,715 points, topping a record that stood since 1954.

  • Started his college career at Ohio State as a defensive end/linebacker before moving to tight end.

  • A two-time captain for the Ohio State football team.

  • Graduated with a degree in agricultural systems management and plans to own and operate a farm with his family during and after his pro football career.

  • Sister, Gabby, is the head coach of the Lexington High School girls basketball team and younger sister, Tatum, is a sophomore at Lexington playing volleyball, basketball and track.

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Cade Stover taken by Houston Texans with No. 123 pick in 2024 NFL Draft

Advertisement