2026 NFL Draft: Cleveland Browns pick TE Joe Royer at No. 170

Royer Scouting Report

Here is a scouting report from The Athletic’s **Dane Brugler**, who had Royer as the 12th-ranked tight end prospect on his board in this year’s draft class:

A two-year starter at Cincinnati, Royer was a Y tight end in former offensive coordinator Brad Glenn’s scheme and split his snaps evenly between the slot (49.3 percent of snaps) and inline (45.4 percent). After injuries derailed his time at Ohio State, he reinvented himself with the Bearcats and in 2024 broke Travis Kelce’s single-season school record for catches by a tight end. However, his usage and production took slight declines in his final year (4.2 catches per game in 2024 to 2.2 in ‘25).

Royer is a smooth athlete for the position, with the impressive hands needed to easily adjust and frame the football, regardless of the placement. Although he is more of a one-speed receiver down the seam, he runs hard and has some giddy-up with the ball in his hands (only FBS tight end with multiple receptions of 60-plus yards in 2025). Though competitive as a blocker, his execution must improve for NFL coaches to trust him.