Joe Royer NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for Cleveland Browns TE

The Cleveland Browns selected Cincinnati TE Joe Royer with the No. 170 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

Joe Royer is an experienced tight end prospect, who shreds zone defense by always finding soft spots underneath and locating space after the catch.

He's a former 4-star recruit and transfer from Ohio State. He wanted to be more involved in an offense after four catches for 24 yards during his time with the Buckeyes. He caught 79 passes for 937 yards and seven touchdowns while at Cincinnati.

He plays with great timing in the offense and showcases fantastic hands, with an impressive catch radius for a shorter-armed tight end. Will find a role as a zone-beating move tight end at the next level.

Dan has covered the Kansas City Chiefs and the NFL Draft since 2019 while contributing for RGR Football. Most recently, he spent the 2025 draft cycle at The Draft Network and is entering his first season in our scouting department.

Highlights

Joe Royer highlights

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Where He Wins

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— Royer displays excellent football IQ to locate space in zone coverage. He's a trusted safety valve over the middle of the field.

— He manipulates defenders with route intention, head usage and speed variation. His sell on the vertical stem is a big part of his game, and he plays with good timing.

— The first-team All-Big 12 performer is a vacuum when the ball is anywhere near him. He displays strong hands through contact and plucks the ball out of the air.

— He's an alignment versatile tight end, who has plenty of in-line reps, but does his best blocking work in pass protection. When blocking down in the run game, he consistently creates rushing lanes.

Areas of Improvement

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— Royer needs to add functional strength as a blocker to be more effective. By playing with better hand location and not letting defenders inside his chest, Royer can improve in this area.

— His overall blocking technique needs work. He leads with his shoulder, is too passive and gets out-leveraged by defenders. He needs to play with a stronger base and better leverage.

— He's a limited athlete, which impairs his ability to separate against man coverage and consistently create after the catch.

Grade, Rank and Pro Comparison

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GRADE: 6.6 (4th round - Role Player/Part-Time Contributor)

COMPARABLE GRADE: TE Brenton Strange, Penn State (6.5 in 2023), TE Jared Wiley, TCU (6.6 in 2024), TE Gunnar Helm, Texas (6.7 in 2025)

OVERALL RANK: 154

POSITION RANK: TE16

PRO COMPARISON: Noah Gray

Measurables and Testing Data

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Height: 6'5"
Weight: 247
Hand Size: 10 ¾"
Arm Length: 31 ½"
Wingspan: N/A

40-yard dash: N/A
10-yard split: N/A
Vertical: N/A
Broad: N/A
3 cone: N/A
Shuttle: N/A
Bench: N/A