Labeling a prospect a “tight end” puts them in a broad category in the modern era.
A “tight end” covers just about everything from unusually athletic fullback, to a small offensive tackle, to an industrial-sized wide receiver. That’s in large part due to offensive coaches trying to find ways to use uncommon or unconventional skills sets to create edges over defenses.
NC State tight end Justin Joly is one of those players who checks the box “all of the above” and has lined up at just about every position other than offensive line or quarterback. He’s an athletic offensive weapon, and that might appeal to a New York Giants team that could be building an unconventional offense.
It’s also possible that Joly could wind up elsewhere in the NFC East, so it would pay for Giants fans to get to know him.
Prospect: Justin Joly (7)
Games Watched: vs. Virginia (2025), vs. Duke (2025), vs. North Carolina (2025)
Red Flags: None
Measurables
Strengths
Best traits
- Athleticism
- Receiving
- Versatility
- Move blocking
- Perimeter blocking
NC State’s Justin Joly is an undersized TE and H-Back prospect who brings uncommon versatility to the field.
Joly is undersized for an NFL tight end at 6-foot 3 ⅝ inches, 241 pounds, however he compensates with very good athleticism and movement skills. Joly has good acceleration and speed, as well as the quickness and agility to be a legitimate weapon in the intermediate area of the field.
He is already a relatively polished receiver, with an efficient release against off-coverage and an understanding of route concepts and how he fits within them. Joly is equally good at using his frame and route running to create traffic to benefit his teammates in space, as well as finding voids in coverages. He’s skilled at manipulating his routes and does a good job of making himself available for his quarterback beyond the first down marker.
Joly also has good ball skills, easily locating the ball in the air and making the necessary adjustments to haul in errant passes. He’s a natural “hands” catcher who extends to pluck the ball out of the air, well away from his frame. He also has big (10 ½ inch) hands which allow him to quickly secure the ball, and he was charged with just one drop in 2025.
Joly is a capable “Move” blocker who uses his athleticism to quickly hit landmarks and beat defenders to spots in space. He’s an effective screen blocker, and was also frequently used to cut off pursuit or to sprint across the formation and give the offense a numbers advantage on the play side. He routinely engages defenders with good leverage and hand placement, allowing him to lose slowly whenever possible.
Weaknesses
Worst traits
- Length
- Size
- Play strength
Joly has a couple limitations in his profile that could keep him from universal consideration, and perhaps out of the first two days of the draft.
Joly is an undersized tight end, built more like a wide receiver than an offensive lineman. He doesn’t have the massive frame to carry significant weight to hold up as an in-line blocker, and he also doesn’t have the length to routinely take on longer EDGE defenders.
He lacks the traits normally associated with a classic “11-personnel” tight end, and that could limit his appeal around the NFL. Likewise, he lacks the thickness and mass to routinely spend time as a blocking fullback.
Game Tape
(Joly is the NC State TE / H-Back wearing number 7 with a high sock on his left leg. Note, this is a condensed game, not a cut of the NC State offense.)
Projection
Justin Joly projects as an “H-Back” at the NFL level who aligns as a tight end or fullback, and would be at his best as the second tight end in a 12-personnel package.
While Joly can be used as an in-line or lead blocker in a traditional tight end or fullback role, however his greatest upside is as an athletic weapon. Joly’s mobility and receiving ability make him a versatile and useful piece for offenses that look to create match-ups and attack the intermediate area of the field.
Because Joly is more of a niche role player, his appeal won’t be nearly as broad as that of a classic “Y” tight end. That will make his draft stock vary widely from team to team and be difficult to predict. Teams that make heavy use of 12-personnel packages to attack the middle of the field could view Joly as a late 3rd round prospect, while other teams may view him as a mid-Day3 value.
Does he fit the Giants? Possibly, value permitting
Final Word: An early Day 3 prospect
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