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 Rec Yds Avg TD Long 2021 Ohio State 5 1 9 9.0 0 9 2022 Ohio State 5 2 10 5.0 0 9 2023 Ohio State 4 1 5 5.0 0 5 2024 Cincinnati 12 50 521 10.4 3 382025Cincinnati122941614.3473 Career 38 83 961 11.5 7 73
Professional career
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
External links Cleveland Browns bio Ohio State Buckeyes bio Cincinnati Bearcats bio