The Browns fortified their tight end room with their selection of TE Joe Royer with the 170th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Here are five things to know about the newest member of the tight end room.
Royer is staying in Ohio
Royer was born and raised on the west side of Cincinnati and attended high school at Elder High School in Cincinnati. He was ranked the No. 9 recruit in Ohio in the 2020 class before he committed to Ohio State. He then redshirted in 2020 and dealt with injuries and time away from the team during 2022 due to the death of his mother. After he graduated from Ohio State, he enrolled in Cincinnati for his final two seasons of eligibility, where he started all 25 games played.
Royer comes from a family of athletes
Royer wasn't the only collegiate athlete in his family, as both of his sisters played collegiate soccer. Sam played at Hanover College in 2019, while Rachel played at Western Michigan from 2016-19.
Royer's grandfather, Dick Royer, also played tight end and defensive end at Notre Dame. He was on the 1957 Fighting Irish team that broke Oklahoma's NCAA-record 47-game winning streak.
The Browns select TE Joe Royer with the No. 170 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Check out photos from college and the NFL Combine.
Cincinnati tight end Joe Royer (11) runs after catching a pass as Central Florida defensive back Sheldon Arnold (9) defends during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Cincinnati's Joe Royer turns downfield after completing a catch during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Arizona State, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)
Cincinnati tight end Joe Royer (11) is tackled by Central Florida linebacker Jesiah Pierre (14) after catching a pass during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Ohio State tight end Joe Royer, left, runs past linebacker Chip Trayanum during an NCAA college spring football game, Saturday, April 16, 2022, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
FILE - Ohio State tight end Joe Royer plays in an NCAA college spring football game, Saturday, April 16, 2022, in Columbus, Ohio. He caught two passes, including a 24-yard touchdown, in the spring game. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete, File)
Ohio State tight end Joe Royer, center, is tackled by Minnesota defensive back Justin Walley, left, and defensive back Craig McDonald during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Cincinnati tight end Joe Royer (11) runs after catching a pass against Central Florida during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Cincinnati tight end Joe Royer (11) runs after catching a pass as Central Florida linebacker Jesiah Pierre (14) defends during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Cincinnati tight end Joe Royer runs after making a catch as Pittsburgh defensive back Donovan McMillon (3) closes in during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
Cincinnati tight end Joe Royer (11) runs after catching a pass as Central Florida linebacker Jesiah Pierre, right, defends during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Cincinnati tight end Joe Royer (11) runs after catching a pass against Central Florida during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Cincinnati tight end Joe Royer (22) and Georgia tight end Oscar Delp (04) watch as tight ends run drills at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Ohio State tight end Joe Royer tries to get past Indiana defensive back Bryson Bonds during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State won 56-14. (AP Photo/Paul Vernon)
Cincinnati tight end Joe Royer (11) is tackled by Central Florida linebacker Jesiah Pierre (14) after catching a pass during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Cincinnati tight end Joe Royer (11) runs after catching a pass as Central Florida linebacker Jesiah Pierre (14) defends during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Ohio State tight end Joe Royer, center, scores a touchdown between linebackers Teradja Mitchell, left, and Reid Carrico during the Buckeyes' spring NCAA college football game in Columbus, Ohio, Saturday, April 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul Vernon)
Ohio State tight end Joe Royer plays in an NCAA college spring football game Saturday, April 16, 2022, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Cincinnati tight end Joe Royer (11) in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Boulder, Colo. AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Cincinnati tight end Joe Royer (22) poses for a portrait at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026 (AJ Mast/AP Content Services for the NFL)
Cincinnati tight end Joe Royer (11) in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Boulder, Colo. AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Cincinnati tight end Joe Royer (11) grabs a pass before an NCAA collage football game against Kansas on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)
Cincinnati tight end Joe Royer (11) rushes down the field during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game against Baylor, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)
Ohio State tight end Joe Royer (84) in action during an NCAA college football game between Ohio State and Indiana in Bloomington, Ind., Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Royer broke a school record at Cincinnati
In his first season at Cincinnati in 2024, Royer made school history. He broke Travis Kelce's single-season school record for catches by a tight end with 50 receptions. Kelce's previous record was 45 catches, which he set in 2012.
Royer was a three-sport athlete at Elder High School
At Elder High School, which features one of the top football programs in Ohio, he originally started his sophomore season on JV before moving up to varsity – where he earned first-team all-state honors as a senior. While he was on the varsity football team for the remainder of his high school career, he also played varsity baseball and basketball at Elder.
Royer can create after the catch
Royer has an ability to quickly turn up the field, which he utilized to his advantage as he ranked fifth among FBS tight ends in 2025 in YAC/reception at 8.9 yards.
Royer was also the only FBS tight end with multiple receptions of 60-plus yards during the 2025 season. He recorded a 73-yard catch against Bowling Green – which was also the longest catch for a UC tight end since 2019 – and a 67-yard reception against UCF.
