Ohio State 2023 roster breakdown: Buckeyes searching for TE depth behind Cade Stover
We’ve reached the final Ohio State offensive position in our spring previews.
The tight ends have a new coach in Keenan Bailey, who will have six scholarship players as well as a few walk-ons who could find a role at some point.
How does he sort out the tight end rotation? Let’s sort through the options.
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We’ll begin the defensive side next week.
A look at the roster
One of the biggest offseason decisions was made by Cade Stover, a third-team All-Big Ten tight end last year who chose to come back for his fifth season instead of declaring for the NFL Draft. Stover gives the Buckeyes one of the best tight ends in the conference. Last year, he caught 36 passes for 406 yards and five touchdowns, and he will be looking to build on that before going pro.
Gee Scott Jr. was the No. 2 tight end last year, although he did not play in the Peach Bowl due to an injury. He returns along with Joe Royer, a fourth-year player who had one catch for 9 yards against Georgia. Two other tight ends return, Sam Hart and Bennett Christian. Neither caught a pass last year.
Ohio State also added the No. 3 tight end in the 2023 class, Jelani Thurman, and he’s an early enrollee. In fact, he was in Atlanta at the team’s practices for the Peach Bowl.
OSU scholarship TEs, 2023
| Name | Year |
|---|---|
Cade Stover | 4 |
Joe Royer | 4 |
Gee Scott Jr. | 4 |
Sam Hart | 3 |
Bennett Christian | 2 |
Jelani Thurman | 1 |
Injury update
All of the tight ends are expected to be healthy for the spring.
Projected Depth Chart
Stover has the starting position locked up. No debate.
The backup spot is up for grabs. Scott played 135 snaps while Royer played 33, all in the Peach Bowl after Stover left with an injury. Royer, who battled a groin injury early in the season and dealt with the passing of his mother, could be poised for a big role in 2023.
We’ll pencil in Scott right now since he has more experience, but Royer can close that gap.
They said it
“It’s a deep room full of versatile guys, starting with Cade. I don’t think I could’ve had selected a better leader for my first year of being a unit leader. To have a guy like Cade, who does things right on and off the field, makes my job easier and then they all fall in line. We have a deep room.” — Bailey, on taking over the tight ends
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“I think he has some things to work on. He’ll be the first one to tell you. He can go down as one of the better tight ends to come through this place, which is certainly something to be said. We talk about legacy. From the day you are recruited, we talk about goals, and we did not hit those goals last year. For a guy from Ohio to not hit those goals as a starter is huge. I think that helped Cade coming back.” —Bailey, on Stover’s return
What needs to happen this spring?
There’s not much more that Stover needs to prove until the season. There are questions with the rest of the group, though.
First, does Ohio State fill Mitch Rossi’s hybrid fullback/tight end role? Rossi played 277 snaps last season and became an important part of the offense due to his blocking ability. He also scored two touchdowns — on a 1-yard run against Toledo and a 3-yard catch against Iowa.
Is there somebody on the roster who can fill that role? Royer and Scott are more of your prototypical tight ends. Is this the place where walk-on Zak Herbstreit finds a home? He was listed at 6-foot-2 and 243 pounds last season, so he has the size for the position.
Ohio State doesn’t have to fill the Rossi fullback spot, but the ability to go heavy and line up in the I-formation on the goal line was a big help last season.
The Buckeyes will, however, need another pass-catching threat to emerge.
Scott improved as the season progressed, but he struggled against Michigan — notably being flagged for a key unsportsmanlike penalty. Still, there’s a lot to like about Scott’s game. The former wide receiver has good size (6-3, 239), good hands and has started to develop more as a blocker.
Royer was thrust onto the field against Georgia when Stover went out and held his own for the most part. Let’s see what he can do in the offseason with an opportunity to earn significant time in the fall.
(Photo: Gaelen Morse / Getty Images)
