Weapon in Waiting: Can Andrew Berry Repeat His Tight End Draft Magic with his Pick of Joe Royer?

The NFL Draft is a game of musical chairs, and when the music stopped on Day 2 of the 2026 selection cycle, the Cleveland Browns found themselves calling an audible. The original blueprint inside the war room was locked onto Georgia tight end Oscar Delp. But just as Andrew Berry prepared to turn in the card, the New Orleans Saints snatched Delp away right before Cleveland's selection. 

Instead of panicking, Berry executed a classic pivot. He traded out of the No. 73 overall slot to the New York Giants, accumulated assets, and waited until the fifth round at No. 170 to draft a player who could turn out to be a higher upside selection: Cincinnati's Joe Royer.

Royer isn't just a big body; he’s an athletic pass catcher who can add versatility to the receiving room.

The Cincinnati KID: Out-Producing a Legend

Royer's story is one of elite Ohio pedigree. Growing up on the west side of Cincinnati, he was a dominant three-sport weapon at Cincinnati Elder High School. His natural spatial awareness on the basketball court and eye-hand coordination on the baseball diamond translated perfectly to the gridiron, making him a top-10 state recruit before signing with Ohio State.

After patiently waiting behind a logjam of NFL talent in Columbus, Royer made the decision to transfer back home to the University of Cincinnati for his final two years of eligibility.  In the wake of his mother's tragic death Royer wanted to come home to be closer to his father and support network. 

Royer immediately made himself the quarterback's best friend in 2024.  His receiving numbers took a small step back in 2025, but it was primarily due to the Bearcats needing him to take on a more prominent blocking role.

College Season	Primary Quarterback	Receptions	Receiving Yards	TDs
2024 Season	Brendan Sorsby	50 Rec	521 Yards	3 TDs
2025 Season	Brendan Sorsby / Rotation	29 Rec	416 Yards	4 TDs

Let this stat sink in: in 2024, Royer hauled in 50 catches. By doing so, he broke the Bearcats' single-season record for tight end receptions previously held by another Ohio product—Travis Kelce (45 catches in 2012). 

YAC Much?: Creating After the Catch

Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 250 pounds, Royer looks like a traditional inline blocker, but he moves like a giant wide receiver. According to advanced tracking metrics, Royer generated an elite 8.9 yards after the catch (YAC) per reception during his peak college campaigns. He is a certified chunk-play creator. Look no further than his explosive, game-breaking highlights: a bruising 73-yard catch-and-run against Bowling Green where he carried a defender for the final 30 yards, and a critical 67-yard deep ball against UCF that completely flipped momentum.

Royer's athletic profile is elite, putting him in the company of some very productive NFL tight ends such as Dallas Goedert and Cole Kmet. 

Tight End Prospect	Height / Weight	RAS Score	NFL Profile Match Baseline
Joe Royer	6'5" / 250 lbs	9.24	Elite YAC creator (8.9 avg); transitions seamlessly to vertical seam patterns.
Dallas Goedert	6'5" / 256 lbs	9.52	Top-tier boundary mismatch; premier zone-slicing option over the middle.
Cole Kmet	6'6" / 262 lbs	8.92	Heavy inline presence with deceptive linear burst down the hashmarks.

The 2026 Tight end Vision: 12 Personnel Chaos

What makes Royer such a fascinating addition to the 2026 roster is his dual-threat capability. He is entirely willing to execute rugged inline blocking assignments, but his real value currently comes as a "flex" option.

Monken can give defenses a different look by deploying a 12 personnel package featuring both Harold Fannin, Jr. and Joe Royer on the field at the same time. If a coordinator treats them like traditional blockers, Royer or Fannin, Jr. can flex out wide to exploit mismatched coverage against smaller nickel corners or slower linebackers. If the opposing defense checks into light defensive personnel, Royer and Fannin, Jr. can pin the edges and help unlock the running game. While the Browns signed blocking tight end Jack Stoll to help in the run game, they needed to replace David Njoku's athleticism. That is where Royer should be able to help out immediately.

The Path Forward: What ROYER Must Do to Earn the Reps

 His baseline talent is undeniable, but cementing a permanent role in the NFL will require refinement. For Royer to maximize his rookie opportunities, his primary developmental focus must center on sustaining blocks and helping in pass protection when it is necessary. Willingness is great, but anchoring against professional 270-pound defensive ends demands lower pad leverage and faster hand placement off the snap.

If Royer can show the coaching staff during training camp that he can hold the point of attack in the run game, his natural receiving traits will help him find the playing field. Andrew Berry may have missed out on his initial Day 2 target, but in their selection of Joe Royer the Browns stayed in state a second time to find another sneaky tight end selection.  With the opportunity, Royer might just make people forget all about Berry's draft board shuffle.