Tale of the Tape: Knowing the basics of Buckeyes tight ends
The summer offseason is in full swing, and Lettermen Row is trying to survive it with our annual Position Week breakdowns. By the time all nine units and coaching staff at Ohio State have been covered, training camp and media days will nearly have arrived, and the return of football in the Horseshoe will be just around the corner. We’re continuing off our positional weeks with the second group up: the Buckeyes tight ends.
COLUMBUS — Ohio State returns all but one of its tight ends from last season.
The only departing tight end was Mitch Rossi, as senior captain Cade Stover returned to lead the way, spurning the NFL for another crack at a national title.
Fourth-year tight ends Gee Scott Jr. and Joe Royer will be solid reinforcements for the unit. Sam Hart and Bennett Christian are still in developmental stages of their Buckeyes careers. And freshman tight end Jelani Thurman is already climbing the depth chart as a potential early difference-maker.
Lettermen Row is in the early stages of Tight Ends Week, a weeklong series that will dive deep into the room, the contenders to play and much, much more. Let’s get it started with a basic primer, going through just who these six tight ends are — and why they might earn playing time this fall.
Fifth-year Ohio State tight end Cade Stover
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 251 pounds
High school: Lexington (Mansfield, Ohio)
On3 Industry Ranking: Stover was the No. 114 overall player in the country, No. 14 linebacker and No. 4 player in the state of Ohio in the class of 2019.
Picked Buckeyes over: Stover held offers from Cincinnati, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Texas, Wisconsin and Virginia Tech
Career stats: Stover as 41 catches for 482 yards and five touchdown grabs in his Ohio State career.
Biggest strength: A former linebacker, Stover has always been a good blocker for the Buckeyes. But he has turned into an elite, well-rounded tight end who can be lethal in the passing game. He was the Buckeyes fourth-leading receiver last year and helped the offense as a sixth offensive lineman when he was needed. Stover can do it all from the tight end spot.
Fourth-year tight end Gee Scott Jr.
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 240 pounds
High school: Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, Washington)
On3 Industry Ranking: Gee Scott Jr. was the No. 52 overall player in the country, the No. 7 wide receiver and No. 2 player in the state of Washington in the class of 2020.
Picked Buckeyes over: Notre Dame, Oregon, LSU, Florida, Florida State and a dozen others
Career stats: Scott has 10 catches for 70 yards and a touchdown at Ohio State.
Biggest strength: Catching the ball. Scott has gained weight to fit the mold of a tight end and is growing into a better blocking player, but he is a high school wide receiver who willingly wanted to play tight end. Scott is a threat in the passing game.
Fourth-year tight end Joe Royer
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 252 pounds
High school: Elder (Cincinnati, Ohio)
On3 Industry Ranking: Royer was the No. 395 overall player in the country, the No. 13 tight end and No. 7 player in the state of Ohio in the class of 2020.
Picked Buckeyes over: LSU, Penn State, Michigan, Wisconsin and Arizona State
Career stats: Royer has three catches for 19 yards at Ohio State.
Biggest strength: Royer played wide receiver in high school, even as he projected as a tight end in college football. The transition wasn’t easy, but he has taken massive strides to become a better blocker during his time with the Buckeyes. He can be a very good piece for the Ohio State offense because of his versatility.
Third-year tight end Sam Hart
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 248 pounds
High school: Cherokee Trail (Aurora, Colorado)
On3 Industry Ranking: Hart was the No. 446 overall player in the country, the No. 19 tight end and No. 3 player in the state of Colorado in the class of 2021.
Picked Buckeyes over: LSU, Notre Dame, Michigan, Texas, USC, Oregon, Penn State and Nebraska
Career stats: 0 career catches at Ohio State
Biggest strength: Hart is an athletic tight end who was a dominant wrestler at the high school level. He thrives at blocking in-line and being a solid contributor. With the depth chart ahead of him, Hart may be in for another year as a backup.
Second-year tight end Bennett Christian
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 245 pounds
High school: Allatoona (Acworth, Georgia)
On3 Ranking: Christian was the No. 35 tight end in the country and No. 49 player in the state of Georgia.
On3 Industry Ranking: Christian was the No. 318 player in the country, No. 19 tight end and No. 36 player in the state of Georgia in the class of 2022.
Picked Buckeyes over: Tennessee, where his father played football.
Career stats: 0 career catches at Ohio State
Biggest strength: Bennett Christian has the size needed to be a successful tight end at Ohio State. At 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, Christian is a solid blocker who is still developing as a pass-catcher in an attempt to become a complete tight end. Expect to see him on the field in the future for the Buckeyes.
First-year tight end Jelani Thurman
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 233 pounds
High school: Langston Hughes (Fairburn, Georgia)
On3 Ranking: Thurman was the No. 149 overall player, No. 8 tight end, and No. 14 player in Georgia.
On3 Industry Ranking: Thurman was the No. 117 overall player, No. 5 tight end, and No. 6 player in Georgia in the class of 2023.
Picked Buckeyes over: Auburn, Alabama and Michigan State
Career stats: 0 career catches at Ohio State
On3 Scouting Report: Tall, long tight end with one of the larger catch radiuses in the 2023 cycle. … The length shows up by way of the large catch radius. Has the reach to attack the ball at its highest point or scoop up low throws off the ground. Shows strong hands to finish through contact in contested situations. Makes high level grabs at a rate that is among the best of 2023 tight ends. Moves well, showing the quickness to separate though he’s still developing as a route-runner. … Plays in-line at times for his high school and shows a willingness as a blocker. Needs to continue adding to his lower body strength which will aid the ability to break tackles after the catch. Both parents were professional athletes.
