Buckeyes' Cade Stover, Tommy Eichenberg, Xavier Johnson Named Team Captains

One of the greatest honors in the Ohio State Buckeyes football program is being named a captain, and the 2023 honorees have been announced.

The 323rd, 324th and 325th all-time captain selections have been bestowed upon tight end Cade Stover, linebacker Tommy Eichenberg and wide receiver Xavier Johnson. Stover and Eichenberg have been named captains for the second time in their careers, while Johnson — the 2023 Block "O" jersey recipient — is a first-time captain.

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝗢𝗵𝗶𝗼 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 🌰

| @tommyike41 | @cstov8 | @J5Xavier | pic.twitter.com/AtyW7q9CEW
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) August 19, 2023

Stover is a fifth-year senior who has stayed the course between multiple position switches throughout his career. Stover started off as a defensive end in his freshman season, moved to tight end for 2020-21 and played linebacker late two seasons ago.

He got closure playing defense in the 2021 Rose Bowl before moving to tight end full time and having one of the best receiving seasons at the position since Rickey Dudley, catching 36 passes for 406 yards and five touchdowns.

Eichenberg is coming off the highest-tackling season since Joshua Perry since 2014, racking up 120 last season. The Cleveland native logged 2.5 tackles for loss with a pick-six, three pass break-ups and five hits on the quarterback.

The reigning Second Team All-American has been named to the Preseason Butkus Award Watch List for 2023.

Johnson is the 304th different player to be named captain in Ohio State history.

He blossomed into his own in 2022 after primarily being a special teams player for the better part of his first three seasons in Columbus. Last season, the Cincinnati native was a factor in the passing game and on the ground, rushing for 146 yards and a touchdown while also catching 13 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns — one against then-No. 5 Notre Dame and the other against No. 1 Georgia in the Peach Bowl.

Johnson, like former wide receiver Kamryn Babb, leans on his faith to help guide his leadership of the team on and off the field.