The Cleveland Browns got down to business in the NFL Draft. Reports far and wide have showered them with rave reviews for their work maneuvering the draft board and finding considerable value in every round . One of their Day 3 selections has flown somewhat under the radar due to the sheer volume of offensive skill players the Browns added.
That would be none other than the University of Cincinnati's Joe Royer . Royer measured in at 6-foot-5, 247 pounds at the NFL Combine, a build that, coupled with his Cincinnati ties, naturally drew Travis Kelce comparisons. After three years spent at Ohio State ( yes, this guy is about as Ohio as it gets ), he moved to UC and lit up the competition.
After seeing limited usage at Ohio State to the tune of four catches, 24 yards, and zero touchdowns over three seasons, he got to Cincinnati and kicked the door down like Jet Li. Over the past two seasons, he racked up 83 receptions, 961 yards, and seven scores en route to becoming the school's fourth all-time leading receiver among tight ends, trailing only Brent Celek , Josiah DeGuara , and Josh Whyle , while besting the aforementioned Kelce .
That kind of production had us here at Dawg Pound Daily curious what exactly the Browns are getting with their newest tight end. We went straight to the closest thing to a Joe Royer expert that exists - University of Cincinnati tight ends coach Josh Stepp .
DPD: "As a person, what should Browns fans know about Joe Royer as he begins his NFL career? How do those qualities set him up for success?"
JS: "Browns fans will come to know Joe is a phenomenal young man. He's kind of an old soul, quiet and just keeps his head down and goes about his business. He is a very competitive person, no matter what it is you are doing he wants to win. [Joe] has a huge heart and loves his family and will give you the shirt off his back. He is extremely smart, hard working and dependable. He was our best player these last 2 seasons at UC!"
DPD: "When did you realize Joe had a legitimate future in the NFL? Was there a specific game, practice, or moment that convinced you?"
JS: "It didn't take long for us to realize [Royer] was special. When he got here in January of [2024], we could tell just watching him move around and work out that he was special. Then it was our first spring practice we had with him when we all kind of knew, we have something extremely rare here now. Just the way he moved, ran routes and caught the ball we were all just blown away."
DPD: "What do you believe is the most underrated part of his game, or the trait that will translate quickest to the NFL?"
JS: "There are many parts of his game that I think will translate to the next level, but I think the one that will translate the fastest is his ball skills. Joe has a 10-inch hand [and] wears a 5X glove. He's got the best ball skills I've ever been around. He didn't drop a ball last year. He has phenomenal hands and can make all the contested catches and traffic catches which is where the TE room lives!"
DPD: "If you could tell Browns fans one thing about Joe Royer that they won't find in a scouting report, what would it be?"
JS: "Just the type of person he is. Once people in Cleveland get to know Joe, they will see what I'm talking about. Joe has been through a lot in his career, been through some tough moments [such as losing his mom in September of 2022], but it has all made him better and made him the person he is today. He's got such a big heart and he's such a good teammate. The Browns got the steal of the draft in my opinion."
DPD: "Is there a story, moment, or memory that you think best captures who Joe is, either as a player or as a person? It could be funny, work-related, or simply something that stuck out to you."
JS: "I think one on the field that will always stick out to me was our first training camp, one of our first scrimmages Joe had about 5 receptions for 150 yards and 2 or 3 TDs already, so I had taken him out of the scrimmage. We were doing a [red zone] period, and the defense was stuffing us pretty good. Joe - knowing he was done for the day - looked at me and said 'Someone has to make a play, I'm going in. Tell [head coach Scott Satterfield] to throw me the ball.' We did and we scored. That's Joe on the field. He wants to be the spark; he wants to be the one to make a play."
JS: "Off the field, my mind immediately goes to when we lost Jeremiah Kelly last offseason. It was one of the hardest and worst days we've had as a program. Watching Joe be there for his teammates, especially our TE room, was incredible. Here's a kid who's dealt with a sudden horrific loss, he lost his mom, now seeing him pick his teammates up and comfort them and be there for them was incredible to watch. That just speaks to the heart and character of who he is."
I know that the passionate Dawg Pound is always on 100, but if that doesn't fire you up a notch or two more, nothing will.
The Cleveland Browns drafted an absolute dawg in Joe Royer. That part was evident from his college prodcution. Now we have a glimpse into the person, as well. If any combination is a recipe for success - this is it.
This article was originally published on www.dawgpounddaily.com as Browns may have landed a major draft steal: 'The Best ball skills I've ever been around' .
