But the months-long, life-changing job interview has some parts he’ll be happy to see done, too.
“The medicals aren’t fun,” he admitted, before saying with a laugh, “and then the Zoom calls.”
“When I was down at my Airbnb in Fort Lauderdale, I had a colorful background with paintings on the wall. They’re like,’Where are you at?’ I’m like ‘Hands up in the air. I promise you, this is not my crib.’ There are frogs on the wall, elephants, giraffes.”
But each explanation was worth it because of who was on the other end.
“I could be having like three Zoom calls a day,” he said. “But, honestly, that just means people want you.”
Still, having scouts from almost 30 teams in the room on Tuesday and getting to speak in person again without an 80’s pastel beach print hanging in the background as a distraction meant Joly could remind clubs once again the kind of prospect they’d be drafting.
“I just showed that I can block and I can catch, you get, you know, two things you need in a player for one person,” he said of his field work, putting a cherry on top of the 2025 season of 49 receptions, 489 yards, and seven touchdowns. He also had nine contested receptions, according to PFF, the third most in the FBS.