Too many targets not enough passing chances.
In 2021 Ohio State tight end Cade Stover caught five passes for 76 yards. Not a lot, but enough to get things going. In 2022, Stover snatched 36 passes for 406 yards, scoring five touchdowns along the way. Best of all, he put up these numbers at the other end of C.J. Stroud passing strikes.
Fast forward to 2024 and Stover, the former Ohio State team captain, heard his name called by the Houston Texans in the NFL Draft.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Cade Stover said he would “love nothing more than to go reunite” with C.J. Stroud in Houston.
Almost two months later, Stover’s wish has been granted.https://t.co/ZHjqs5XVLy pic.twitter.com/BwYdTCnxYr
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) April 27, 2024
Houston Texans TE Cade Stover (@cstov8) is wearing number 87. Last assigned to Damiere Byrd. #HTownMade pic.twitter.com/j6k5K2AuWy
— NFL Jersey Numbers (@nfl_jersey_num) April 30, 2024
Now, #87 isn’t going to have all the stats handed to him at the NFL level. Not only will he have to vie for targets with Houston’s nearly over-crowded receiving corps, including Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, and Tank Dell, he’ll certainly find himself trying to look over Houston’s top tight end, Dalton Schultz who is firmly seated in front of Stover on the depth chart.
However, last season, Houston offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik found all sorts of ways to get players involved in the gameplan. 16 different Texans caught a total of 372 passes in 2023 according to ESPN.com.
If Texans general manager Nick Caserio went after Stover in the draft, you can bet it was likely due to DeMeco Ryans, Slowik and Caserio seeing an ability to upgrade the tight end depth chart. What does this mean for incumbents Brevin Jordan and Teagan Quitoriano? Likely that one will either hit the practice squad, another team’s roster or the street by Kickoff 2024.
“This is one of our favorite football players in this entire draft”
Stover could have a bright future in Houston reuniting with CJ Stroud.
(Via @HoustonTexans) pic.twitter.com/apnu0KZq28
— Nick Schwager (@NickSchwagerNFL) May 27, 2024
If the Texans brass feels this good about Stover, you can bet he’ll be given every chance to succeed. And, if he and Stroud are still on the same page, we’re likely to see that success early and often.