TCU Horned Frogs linebacker Namdi Obiazor (4) tackles Cincinnati Bearcats tight end Joe Royer (11) in the third quarter of the NCAA football game between Cincinnati Bearcats and TCU Horned Frogs at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Look: Joe Royer Selected in First Round of Major Way-Too-Early 2026 NFL Mock Draft

Originally posted on Cincinnati Bearcats on SI
By Russell Heltman | Last updated May 5, 2025 9:42 AM ET

The Ringer's Todd McShay thinks Joe Royer could be a first-round selection in next April's NFL Draft.

The longtime draft analyst had Royer as the final pick in the first round of his way-too-early 2026 mock draft. McShay posted the projection on his Substack.

Royer set a UC single-season record by a tight end with 50 catches in 2024. He turned those into 522 receiving yards and three touchdowns. It amounted to a 65.4 overall Pro Football Focus grade across 657 snaps. His run-blocking is the biggest weakness to beef up.

If Royer can improve a 52.3 PFF run-blocking grade from 2024, he very well could be selected in the first 32 picks. The consensus big board has Royer ranked 717th overall, with McShay the first of likely many analysts to boost that number.

My 2026 Way-Too-Early Mock Draft! Get the full story available on The McShay Report. https://t.co/i0tFbov69w pic.twitter.com/jsBWBa06dG
— Todd McShay (@McShay13) May 5, 2025