Getty
The Kansas City Chiefs will meet with North Carolina State tight end Justin Joly ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Kansas City Chiefs have their eye on another tight end prospect, according to the latest news and rumors ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.
This has been a consistent theme this spring as the Chiefs continue to look for potential successors who can eventually step in for superstar Travis Kelce. As we know, Kelce has re-signed with Kansas City on a multi-year contract, but the extra years are mainly for cap purposes.
With that in mind, it remains a mystery as to when Kelce will retire. This could certainly be his final season in 2026, considering how much thought went into his past two returns. If it is, the Chiefs want to be ready, and their top 30 pre-draft visits have illustrated that this offseason.
According to SI NFL reporter Arye Pulli, North Carolina State tight end Justin Joly is the latest potential Kelce successor connected to KC ahead of the NFL draft. And the Chiefs are not alone in their interest.
The #Chiefs hav a pre draft visit with NC State TE Justin Joly this week via @AryePulliNFL
College career.
166 receptions.
1,978 receiving yards.
15 touchdowns.
#ChiefsKingdom
“Sources: NC State TE Justin Joly has a busy pre-draft schedule with 7 total visits,” Pulli reported earlier this week on April 7. Continuing: “Joly visits the Carolina Panthers tomorrow [on April 8]. He has upcoming visits with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins, and Tennessee Titans. Recently met with the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, and Chiefs also.”
So, per Pulli, Joly’s Chiefs visit already occurred sometime over the past couple of weeks despite flying under the radar.
Potential Chiefs NFL Draft Target Justin Joly Is Known for His Athleticism, Ball Skills & Versatility Amid Visit News
GettyNorth Carolina State tight end Justin Joly met with the Kansas City Chiefs before the 2026 NFL Draft.
According to The Athletic’s comprehensive draft guide, “The Beast,” written by scouting expert Dane Brugler, Joly measured in at 6-foot-3 at his Pro Day and 6-foot-3 and a half at the NFL Combine. At times, his height is listed as 6-foot-4.
At his core, Brugler describes Joly as a “versatile pass-catcher, because of his athleticism, ball skills, and upside as a three-level threat.”
The draft scout went on to compare him to veteran tight end Jonnu Smith, in that “he is more Robin than Batman and ideally suited as a ‘move’ tight end in a 12-personnel offense.”
Still, he fits the pass-catching tight end mold that Kansas City has targeted in years past.
“Joly is a good-sized athlete who can drop his weight at the top of routes and uncover with foot quicks and savvy,” Brugler noted within his scouting report. “He has large, strong hands and has developed into a ball winner with his ability to frame the catch and finish, regardless of his surroundings. He competes as a blocker and has the coordination to stay attached, but lacks the body power to dominate the point of attack.”
Among his strengths, Brugler highlighted Joly’s “speed” as a vertical option up the seam, his 71.4 percent success rate on contested catch windows, his effective and hardworking qualities as a downfield blocker, and his “competitive and charismatic” personality.
More on Justin Joly Amid Chiefs NFL Draft Rumors
Joly spent the first two years of his collegiate career with the University of Connecticut, otherwise known as UConn.
He really exploded as an offensive weapon as a sophomore, jumping from 18 catches in 2022 to 56 in 2023. Joly racked up 578 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns during that second season at UConn.
In 2024, Joly transferred to NC State, where he spent his final two collegiate campaigns.
He actually set his collegiate career-high for receiving yardage in 2024 with 661, despite logging fewer receptions (43). That performance yielded a career-high yards per catch average of 15.4 yards. Joly also scored 4 touchdowns during his first year at NC State.
Last season, Joly closed out his college career with a well-rounded 49 catches for 489 receiving yards. Although his reception and yardage totals weren’t as high as previous seasons, Joly did score a career-best 7 touchdowns.
All in all, the pass-catching tight end caught 166 passes for 1,978 yards and 15 touchdowns throughout college.
Michael Obermuller covers the NFL as an Associate Editor for Heavy Sports, where he began writing in 2021. His areas of focus include the NFL breaking news operation, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers, with expert knowledge on each based on years of coverage. Michael is an NYC area native and Quinnipiac graduate. More about Michael Obermuller
More Heavy on Chiefs
Loading more stories