The 2026 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. Here is the Justin Joly NFL Draft Profile.
For full rankings, mock drafts and live coverage, visit our NFL Draft hub.
Position: Tight End
School: NC State
Size: 6-foot-3 1/2, 241 pounds
Class: Senior
2025 stats: 49 receptions, 489 receiving yards, 10.0 yards per reception, 7 touchdown receptions
Joly was a two-star recruit in the class of 2022 who signed with UConn out of New York. He learned tight end and started playing immediately, catching 18 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns. Joly built on that in 2023, registering 56 receptions for 578 receiving yards and two touchdowns. UConn struggled, notching only three wins, and Joly transferred to NC State. In his first season with the Wolfpack, Joly caught 43 passes for 661 yards and four touchdowns. He helped the team win six games in 2024. In 2025, Joly had another good season with 49 catches for 489 yards and seven touchdowns. Joly led the team to an eight-win season.
Following the season, Joly has been preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft. He is currently projected to be a mid-round pick.
Joly is a great athlete for an NFL tight end, as a former receiver. He didn’t test at the NFL Combine, but his athleticism shows up on tape. Joly has good acceleration and builds up to a nice top speed. He has solid agility and body control as well. His athleticism makes him an athletic mismatch.
He is good with the ball in his hands and can pick up plenty of yards after the catch. Joly can catch throws underneath and turn upfield quickly. He displays good vision and runs to open space. With the combination of his size and movement abilities, he is hard to bring to the ground.
For the most part, Joly is a good route runner. He can separate from man-to-man coverage by getting in and out of his breaks decently well. Against zone coverage, Joly finds the soft spot and sits down, giving the quarterback a nice target. He will find ways to get open at the next level.
Joly is undersized for an NFL tight end. The former receiver measured in at 6-foot-3 1/2 and 241 pounds. He can add some more strength, but likely won’t have too much more space on his frame. It will be hard for teams to play him in-line and he might be better used out wide.
His run blocking has a lot of work that needs to be done. Joly can add strength to help him sustain his blocks. He also needs to keep his pad level down and his hands inside when he is blocking to be more effective. If he adds strength and cleans up technique, he can improve, but may never be great as a blocker.
While he is a solid route-runner for the position, he rounds off his routes at times. He needs to make sure he is getting in and out of his breaks quickly to make sure he is continuously getting separation underneath.
Projected Draft Range: Third Round Pick-Fifth Round Pick
Draft Range: Third Round Pick
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