However, tight end could be one of the most pressing needs on the roster heading into this year’s NFL Draft. Henry was a non-factor in the playoffs and will turn 32 this season; Hill’s pact is effectively a year-over-year deal; Westover hasn’t proven himself to be a pro-level tight end, much like Dippre and Lang.
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Therefore, it makes a lot of sense for the Patriots to add to the mix later this month. And if they choose to do so, Justin Joly is a player worth keeping on the radar.
Concrete facts
Name: justin jolly
Position: tight end
School: North Carolina State (Sr.)
Opening day age: 22 (9/7/2004)
Measures: 6’3 1/2″, 241 lbs, 32 1/4″ arm length, 10 1/2″ hand size, N/A Relative Athletic Rating
Experience
Schools: UConn (2022-23), North Carolina State (2024-25)
Career statistics: 49 games (34 as a starter) | 1,931 offensive plays, 145 special teams plays | 233 targets, 166 receptions (71.2%), 1,986 receiving yards (12.0/catch), 15 TDs, 10 drops | 3 QB pressures allowed (1 hit, 2 hurries) | 1 special teams tackle | 6 penalties (including 0 rejected/compensated)
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Recognitions: First Team All-ACC (2025)
Joly, a two-star wide receiver recruit who also played running back, linebacker and defensive end at Iona Prep in New Rochelle, New York, began his college career at UConn and as a tight end. He spent two seasons with the Huskies, during which he caught 74 passes for 828 yards and four touchdowns. Despite being the team’s reception leader in 2023, he opted to enter the transfer portal after the season.
Joly was rated a four-star recruit at the time and, after receiving multiple scholarship offers, took his talents to NC State. In two seasons with the Wolfpack, he added 92 more receptions for 1,158 yards and 11 touchdowns to his resume and also earned recognition as the ACC’s top tight end in 2025.
Profile draft
Projected round: 3-4 | Big consensus board: No. 117 | patriots meeting: N/A
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Strengths: Joly, being a converted wide receiver, appears on tape again and again. In fact, he might have the best hands among all the tight ends in this year’s draft class. His hand-eye coordination is excellent, as is his body control and ability to position himself in relation to defenders; creates a subtle separation. As a result, you maximize what would otherwise be a fairly vulgar capture radius and in turn can put yourself in a favorable position in contested capture situations. He has also shown that he can find weaknesses in zone coverage.
Joly has moved around quite a bit in college and, as a blocker, has had some encouraging moments. Moves well on out-of-zone plays and shows adequate effort and finishing. He has also managed to improve his frame since switching to tight end, which in turn has allowed him to be more competitive as a blocker.
Weaknesses: Joly is a work in progress as a blocker from both a construction and technical perspective. He has the smallest size relative to traditional tight end standards, ranking in the 9th percentile in weight and the 24th percentile in both height and arm length. He can’t do anything about his lack of length, but he needs to continue adding to his frame and when he gets to the NFL make the strength room his home.
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The question is how more mass might affect his ability to run crisp routes, something that has already been an issue at times; He can be more consistent with his breaks and make more decisive cuts so as not to leave himself vulnerable to being undermined by defenders. Overall, he won’t surprise you with his speed and is not a particularly elusive player with the ball in his hands.
Patriots Preview
What would be your role? Joly is more of a wide receiver than a true tight end at this stage of his career, meaning he would likely see most of his snaps early on as a slot big rather than a true in-line option. That said, he’ll likely still have opportunities at various spots in the lineup, from the slot to the open field to the backfield as an H-back type. As for his workload, he projects as the No. 2 receiving tight end and would be Hunter Henry’s primary backup in that regard.
Do you have positional versatility? While his lack of bulk will be a limiting factor, Joly still offers a skill set that should allow him to be used quite flexibly. As noted above, he could line up at multiple positions and therefore potentially serve as a matchup weapon for Josh McDaniels.
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What is your growth potential? Joly actually started playing tight end in college and is still quite inexperienced in several aspects of the position. Blocking is the most important area you need to improve, and there are two main related areas to focus on: getting stronger and growing. If he can do so without compromising his movement skills and stroke, the 21-year-old has a bright future ahead of him. Even if he never develops into an elite blocker, his receiving skills alone make him a high-potential prospect who could develop into a decent entry-level player in the future.
Why patriots? As mentioned above, the Patriots definitely need a tight end both short and long term. Drafting Joly would help with the former, but it would really be about the latter: With Henry entering the final year of his contract, he would be groomed as a potential replacement starting in 2027. However, even if he fails to develop into a true TE1, the team could be intrigued by his high-end receiving skills.
Why not the patriots? This year’s draft offers many tight end prospects with similar skills in the middle rounds. Joly is distinguished by his impressive hands, but has shortcomings relative to the others. Ultimately, it will all come down to what the Patriots value and whether or not they believe in a development outlook that might be too uncertain for their liking.
One sentence verdict: Even if he never develops into a well-rounded tight end, Joly’s receiving skills alone should help him find steady work in the NFL and contribute positively in the passing game.
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For more on Justin Joly and the rest of this year’s prospect class, check out Adam’s 2026 NFL Draft Guide.
Also, what do you think about Joy As a potential Patriots target? Do you like it? Where would you choose it? Head to the comments section to share your thoughts.