CS #8

Cade Stover

Tight End · Ohio State

A converted linebacker who became a Mackey Award finalist at Ohio State and reunited with C.J. Stroud in Houston.

Cade Stover took an unusual road to becoming one of Ohio State's top tight ends, shifting positions multiple times in college before the Texans drafted him to catch passes from his old teammate C.J. Stroud. A broken foot cut his 2025 season short, but his rookie-year flashes point to a bigger role ahead.

★ Mackey Award finalist and Big Ten Tight End of the Year (2023)

★ First-team All-Big Ten selection at Ohio State

Path to the league

Stover arrived at Ohio State as a linebacker recruit, moved to defensive end, then settled at tight end by his redshirt junior season. He broke out as a senior in 2023, finishing as a Mackey Award finalist and Big Ten Tight End of the Year with 41 catches for 576 yards and five touchdowns, and the Texans drafted him in the fourth round, 123rd overall, in 2024.

Career highlights

Stover's selection reunited him with quarterback C.J. Stroud, his former Ohio State teammate. As a rookie in 2024, he appeared in 15 games with nine starts, catching 15 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown.

2025 season recap

Stover opened the 2025 season with four catches for 22 yards against the Los Angeles Rams before suffering a broken foot in that same game. He was placed on injured reserve on September 10, 2025, ending his season after just one game.