First Impression of Texans TE Cade Stover

Is Cade Stover the sleeper of the 2024 Draft?

Another trade! Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio and head coach DeMeco Ryans open up the kitchen early Saturday morning, and they launch pick #127 and a fifth-rounder next year to move up four spots to pick #123.

And with the 123rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select:

Cade Stover, TE – Ohio State

Measurables:

• Height: 6’4”
• Weight: 247 lbs
• Arm: 32 ¾”
• Hand: 9 ¾”
• 40-Yard Dash: 4.65 Seconds
• 10-Yard Split: 1.59 Seconds
• Vertical Jump: 34.5”
• Broad Jump: 9’ 9”

Awards:

• 2023 Big Ten Conference TE of the Year,
• Second team All-Big Ten, 2023
• Third team All-Big Ten, 2022

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Talk about an athlete! Cade Stover was one of the most imposing players on a loaded Ohio State roster from 2019-2023. He began his career as a star running back and basketball player in high school out of Lexington, Ohio, but was instead recruited to play linebacker at Ohio State. He then moved to defensive end for four games, then moved back to linebacker in the shortened 2020 season, and then finally settled at tight end in 2022.

In his three seasons as a tight end at Ohio State, he caught 82 receptions for 1,058 yards and 10 touchdowns. And, take it from a Penn State fan; a lot of those receptions were absolutely back-breaking. Cade Stover is a massive, shockingly fast athlete that will KILL you on third down. He was a favorite safety blanket for current Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud in 2022, and took another step forward as a receiving tight end in 2023.

The promise of that improvement, and why I’m particularly excited about this pick, is that it’s rooted in his impressive athleticism that goes back to his high school days. His route running is sharp and he’s capable of reeling in errant passes with impressive range. And when Cade Stover gets going down midfield, you get scared of what he’s capable of, because it’s going to take more than one player to bring him down. Again and again at Ohio State, he would get separation downfield and become a home run threat, or become a guaranteed 5-8 yards on third down. He has the muscle to control the game.

His one major weakness is run blocking. For as nasty and aggressive he is in the passing game, he loses that intensity in the run. For an athlete as strong and imposing as Cade Stover, it is disappointing to see him largely mediocre on this front.

The Bleacher Report NFL Scouting Department goes on to criticize this element of his game:

Stover is also a work in progress as a blocker. When it comes to size and strength, he’s got it. Stover can move people once he gets attached, and he’s a pretty versatile blocker in terms of how he can be used. However, Stover too often forgets to drive his feet, and he falls off blocks all the time. That can (and should) be fixed with more reps and NFL coaching.

Despite his run-blocking, though, Cade Stover is a fantastic athlete. A Division I football player at multiple positions, none of which were his strong suit in high school, and an NFL-caliber tight end. As much as he broke my heart and ruined my poor Nittany Lions the past two years, I cannot deny how impressive of a football player he truly is. He stands out like a sore thumb in person, and when he runs, it’s even more obvious.

Following the high-upside of second round pick OT Blake Fisher and twitchy athleticism of third round pick S Calen Bullock, this selection of Cade Stover in the fourth round signals a trend for the Houston Texans: get bigger, faster, and more physical on both sides of the ball. Houston addressed the physicality of the defensive backfield, and now they’re investing heavily in big, prototypical athletes on offense for C.J. Stroud’s benefit. In fact, being collegiate teammates, this is almost a gift to Stroud. Cade Stover is a fantastic athlete that won’t get in the way of starting TE Dalton Schultz, but can contribute right away. If he can improve on his run-blocking and continue the upward trajectory to the next level, he has serious potential.

WOOOOOOO!!!! Great pick!!! What’s up, brothers!!!