The Ohio State pa sing game has gone through Marvin Harrison Jr. over the past two years. And that's understandable, as Harrison is considered among the best wide-receiving prospects in NFL history.Yet that makes it too easy to underrate the play of Cade Stover. Nicknamed "Farmer Gronk," the linebacker-turned-tight end quietly became one of college football's most dynamic players at his position, showing off the ability to make contested catches and racing past defenders with the ball in his hands.In only three years (and two full seasons) at tight end, Stover has notched more than 1,000 receiving yards, an impre sive feat considering the Buckeyes' revolving door of first-round NFL receiving talent.Stover has emerged as one of the top tight end prospects in the . How did he reach this point? Here's what you need to know.SN's NFL DRAFT HQ | | Who is Cade Stover?Stover is a 23- Avonte Maddox Jersey year-old tight end who spent all five of his collegiate seasons at Ohio State. He comes in at 6-3, 247 pounds.Explaining Cade Stover's 'Farmer Gronk' nicknameThere is a simple explanation behind Stover's nickname. He grew up on a farm in Mansfield, Ohio. He has since gone on to be a star tight end at Ohio State, with his play often eliciting comparisons to former Patriots and Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski, who is nicknamed "Gronk."Therefore, "Farmer Gronk" is a combination of Stover's background as a farmer and his athletic comparisons to Gronk.Stover has acknowledged the nickname in the past. , Stover said he wasn't sure how much he's made in Name, Image and Likene s (NIL) earnings, but said that he'd "rather be paid in tractors.""I've got a ways to go before I get to Gronk, but yeah, it's good. It's good," Stover said, .Stover has shared that when his football career is over, he plans to return to farming."I just really want to play ball and then come back home and farm," Stover said, .NFL DRAFT RANKINGS: | | | | Cade Stover position changeCollegiate athletes making a position change aren't nece sarily uncommon. Those athletes doing so after they arrived with as much acclaim as Stover did at Ohio State are rare.Stover reached Columbus as a four-star recruit, , ranking as the No. 114 recruit in the 2019 cla s and the No. 4 prospect in the state of Ohio. He also was the No. 7 outside linebacker in the cla s.It was in the 2020 season that Stover briefly saw time at tight end following his redshirt season in 2019, when he played a bit of both linebacker and defensive line.Before the position change, coach Ryan Day praised Stover's skillset as one that would lend itself well to such a move.I think Cade, when you look at his skill set, his basketball background and his spatial awarene s, his toughne s, we think that he projects and can be a really good tight end, Day said, , in 2020.He remained at tight end through the 2021 season, but wound up playing at linebacker in the 2021 Rose Bowl. It appeared he was set to return to his primary defensive position.Though Stover felt playing tight end helped improve his defensive ability, he was ready to move back to linebacker, wanting to "impact that game every single play."I feel like linebacker, you take the handcuffs off me, you really let me just be me out there and impact the game, Stover in 2022.MORE 2024 NFL DRAFT: | | | But before the 2022 season began, it became clear Stover's future home was still at tight end. He wound up making the change permanent before the season and had a standout year, hauling in 36 pa ses for 406 yards with five touchdowns. Only Harrison, Emeka Egbuka and Julian Fleming had more receiving yards, and only Harrison and Egbuka had more catches.Unsurprisingly, there was little question over Stover's position heading into 2023. And he turned in another big year, hauling in 41 catches for 576 yards and five touchdowns, all surpa sed only by Harrison on the team.Could he return to defense in the NFL? He's leaving little doubt about that, even if he said he'd be willing to do "whatever you need to win a ballgame," ."I'm playing tight end, no doubt about it," Stover said.Cade Stover stats Year Pos G Rec Yds Avg TD Solo Ast Tot Lo s Sk FF 2019 LB 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 0.0 0.0 0 2020 LB/TE 2 0 0 0 2 1 3 0.0 0.0 1 2021 LB/TE 13 5 76 15.2 0 5 6 11 0.5 0.0 0 2022 TE 13 36 406 11.3 5 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0 2023 TE 12 41 576 14.0 5 1 0 1 0.0 0.0 0 Career 82 1058 12.9 10 9 8 17 0.5 0.0 1 Rick Lovato Jersey