Ohio State Football: Tight Ends will be a matchup nightmare
By Riley Thomas
The Ohio State football team will supposedly use the tight ends more this season. They should because they will be a nightmare matchup for defenses.
In recent memory, the Ohio State Football team has not used tight ends heavily in the passing game. During the 2021-22 season, the Buckeyes will need to use their tight ends more than usual due to their unique skillsets.
The leader of the tight end room is of course Jeremy Ruckert. Ruckert has always flashed some superstar potential in the receiving game. Throughout his career, Ruckert has always shown he has good hands. In the 2021 National Championship, he had an impressive one-handed catch running full speed down the field.
In addition, Ruckert has some surprising speed for being 6-foot-5 and 252 pounds. Over the last three seasons, he has the second-highest passer rating when targeted in the entire Big Ten. Ruckert has a real shot at the Maxwell Award this season, he will be a nightmare for opposing defenses.
The depth behind Ruckert will be interesting. Cade Stover was moved from defensive end to tight end. Stover brings ideal size to the tight end position at 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds. He is an explosive athlete with good speed for his size.
As of now, Stover looks to be the second-string tight end. Stover could be a solid blocker this year, but his route running will likely be limited. On the rare occasion he’s used in the passing game, Stover could be a mismatch due to his athletic ability.
Gee Scott Jr. was the 10th ranked receiver in the 2020 class. After his Freshman season at receiver, Scott was moved to tight end. Scott is a little undersized at 210 pounds, but he does have the height for tight end at 6-foot-3. More than likely, if Scott gets snaps at tight end this season he should be primarily used in the passing game.
Scott will be a lot faster than most tight ends and will have good receiving skills. Scott has the potential to be a headache for defenses. He will be too fast for most linebackers and too big for defensive backs. Scott at tight end could look similar to what Jahleel Billingsley is for Alabama.
With a tight end room of Ruckert, Stover, and Scott, the Ohio State Football team will have really athletic tight ends this season. They all have very high potential in the passing game, which could make them a nightmare for opposing defenses.
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Adding a dangerous tight end group alongside a super talented receiver room should lead to a ton of success in the passing game.