Bearcats Star Tight End Joe Royer Selected in 2026 NFL Draft

Joe Royer was the latest Bearcat to get selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Cleveland Browns took another Bearcat at Pick 170 in the fifth round. They dialed into Royer on Day 3 of the NFL Draft as another Bearcats tight end gets ready to make their mark in the NFL.

NFL Bound

Cincinnati Bearcats tight end Joe Royer (11) runs downfield in the fourth quarter of the NCAA football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and UCF Knights at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Oct. 11, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Royer was a standout at UC over the past two seasons after starting his career at Ohio State. This past season, Royer was the starting tight end for all 13 games. He finished third on the team with 29 catches and four touchdowns. All after his 2024 campaign, where the star notched 50 receptions for 521 yards and three touchdowns en route to All-Big 12 First Team honors. The 50 catches were the UC single-season tight end record.

"It gets a little crazy, for sure, especially, you know, the last couple weeks I was on a plane more than I was on the ground, taking a lot of visits," Royer said to Fox19's Regan Holgate recently. "But no, I mean, it's cool getting to, you know, go different places, meet all these different people, and just talk ball and everything. And, yeah, I mean, I just wish it's not like college, so you can't pick and choose where you go. So I just, I'm ready to know where I'm going next week."

UC head coach Scott Satterfield was excited to see where his guys land in this cycle when discussing the draft at Cincinnati's Spring Showcase last weekend.

"Obviously, we know Jake Golday is going to be a high draft pick," Satterfield said this past weekend. "Excited about some of the other guys and see where they go. Joe Royer is going to get drafted. We'll see how it ends up with a guy like Cyrus Allen, who has been moving up a lot of guys' draft boards, and tested outstanding in the Pro Day. So hopefully we'll get maybe four guys, maybe 3-4 guys drafted, and then we'll have several more that will be in camps, for sure. You know, this is a talented senior class that came out."

Royer joins a long line of UC tight ends in the league, from Brent Celek to Travis Kelce, Josiah Deguara, Josh Whyle, and now the hometown kid.

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