Joe Royer

Joe Royer
No. 18 – Cleveland Browns
PositionTight end
Roster status
 Non-football illness
Personal information
Born (2002-02-25) February 25, 2002 (age 24)
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Listed height
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight
250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
High schoolElder (Cincinnati)
College
NFL draft2026: 5th round, 170th overall pick
Career history
Awards and highlights
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Joseph Royer (born February 25, 2002) is an American professional football tight end for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and Cincinnati Bearcats. He was selected by the Browns in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL draft.

Early life

Royer attended Elder High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was rated as a three-star recruit and committed to play college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes over offers from schools such as Arizona State, LSU, Michigan, Penn State, and Wisconsin.

College career

Ohio State

As a freshman in 2020, Royer was redshirted. In three years at Ohio State from 2021 to 2023, he appeared in 14 games for the Buckeyes where he recorded four receptions for 24 yards. After the 2023 season, Royer entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal.

Cincinnati

Royer transferred to play for the Cincinnati Bearcats. In the 2024 season opener, he recorded five receptions for 89 yards in a win over Towson. In week 4, Royer notched three receptions for 41 yards in a win over Houston.

Statistics

Season Team Games Receiving
RecYdsAvgTDLong
2021 Ohio State 5199.009
2022 Ohio State 52105.009
2023 Ohio State 4155.005
2024 Cincinnati 125052110.4338
2025 Cincinnati 12 29 416 14.3 4 73
Career388396111.5773

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand spanWingspan
6 ft 5+1⁄8 in
(1.96 m)		247 lb
(112 kg)		31+1⁄2 in
(0.80 m)		10+3⁄4 in
(0.27 m)		6 ft 6+3⁄4 in
(2.00 m)
All values from NFL Combine

Royer was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round with the 170th overall pick of the 2026 NFL draft. He began the 2026 season on the non-football illness list after not reporting to training camp for personal reasons.

References

  1. ↑ Means, Stephen (June 11, 2019). "Three-star TE recruit Joe Royer includes Ohio State football in top six". Cleveland.com. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  2. ↑ Dermer, Shelby (July 2, 2019). "Elder four-star tight end Joe Royer commits to Ohio State University". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  3. ↑ Springer, Scott (September 19, 2024). "Bearcats transfers from Ohio State contributing to Cincinnati wins". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  4. ↑ Baird, Nathan (April 8, 2022). "Ohio State football's Joe Royer ready for 'special plays' to overshadow his signature look". Cleveland.com. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  5. ↑ Means, Stephen (August 17, 2023). "Ohio State has a tight end ready for a breakout season after a year of hardship". Cleveland.com. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  6. ↑ Kaufman, Joey (December 7, 2023). "Ohio State football tight end Joe Royer enters NCAA transfer portal". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  7. ↑ Springer, Scott (July 22, 2024). "Luke Kandra's call to former Elder teammate Joe Royer helps make him a Cincinnati Bearcat". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Joe Royer, Kyle McCord, more: How former Ohio State football players did this week". The Columbus Dispatch. September 22, 2024. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Joe Royer Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Joe Royer College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  11. ↑ Russo, Kelsey. "Browns select TE Joe Royer with the No. 170 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft". ClevelandBrowns.com. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  12. ↑ Russo, Kelsey (August 30, 2026). "Browns announce initial 53-man roster heading into the 2026 season". ClevelandBrowns.com.
  13. ↑ "Browns Make Final Call on Controversial Rookie Joe Royer After Missing Camp, Preseason". Heavy.com. August 30, 2026.