CINCINNATI, OH — Joe Royer didn’t just leave Ohio State to find more playing time; he left to redefine his career. After spending four seasons as a reserve in Columbus, Royer capped off a massive two-year stretch at Cincinnati, hauling in 79 receptions for 937 yards and 7 touchdowns. As the 2026 NFL Draft approaches, scouts are looking at the 6-foot-5, 250-pounder as a potential Day 3 steal who offers a rare combination of dependable hands and scheme versatility.
The Blueprint: Size, Speed, and Technicality
Royer represents the modern “move” tight end with enough traditional “Y” traits to stay on the field for three downs. During the 2025 season, he averaged 14.3 yards per catch, a significant jump from his 10.4 average the year prior. This increase wasn’t just luck; Royer became a master of the delayed release. He routinely manipulated linebackers into thinking he was stay-in protection before slipping into the flats for easy yardage. In the run game, Royer is more of a technician than a mauler. He uses clean knee-bend and extension to seal edges, though he sometimes struggles to maintain those blocks against the NFL-caliber edge rushers he faced in Big 12 play.
The most impressive stat in Royer’s profile? The drop rate. He recorded zero drops during the 2025 campaign and has only two on his entire college resume. In a league where “trust” is the currency for backup tight ends, Royer is wealthy. He won’t outrun a safety on a vertical seam, but he’ll sit in the zone, snag the ball away from his frame, and fight for every inch. More than half of his 416 yards this past season came after the catch, proving he has the creativity to make defenders miss in space despite lacking elite “twitch.”
“Joe is the guy you want in the huddle when it’s third-and-six and the stadium is shaking. He doesn’t say much, but he catches everything. He’s been the heartbeat of our intermediate passing game since the day he walked into this facility.”
— Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati Head Coach
Draft Outlook: The Round 6 Specialist
Despite his production, Royer faces an uphill battle regarding his age. Spending six years in the collegiate ranks (including a redshirt in 2020) means he enters the NFL as an “older” prospect. Scouts have noted that while his blocking is energetic, it lacks a certain “nasty” finisher mentality required for primary starters. He also tends to gear down into his breaks, which could limit his separation against man-to-man coverage at the professional level.
However, Bucky Brooks recently ranked Royer as the No. 4 tight end in the 2026 class, noting his ability to function as a safety valve. For a team looking for a reliable TE2 who can contribute immediately on special teams and the screen game, Royer is a perfect fit. He likely won’t hear his name on Day 1 or 2, but expect him to be a high-priority target as the draft moves into the final rounds.
