Why Justin Joly's Departure Won't Hurt NC State as Much as You Think

RALEIGH — NC State tight end Justin Joly embarked on the next chapter of his playing career Friday after being selected 152nd overall by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. After two seasons with the Wolfpack, one of the program's greatest tight ends is moving on, while the program continues to prepare for a critical 2026 season.

Losing such an important contributor like Joly is tough for NC State, but the program has a culture in place, as well as players, that should be able to help the Pack sustain the loss and potentially end up stronger on the other side. Position coach Gavin Locklear is trying to turn Raleigh into a destination for tight ends and Joly helped build that reputation up.

Replacements in place

Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; NC State tight end Justin Joly (TE09) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Knowing all three of the top tight ends, all massive contributors offensively during the 2025 season, were likely on the way out for one reason or another, Locklear and head coach Dave Doeren prioritized reloading the position group that played such a pivotal role in any success the team had a year ago. They did just that, both by elevating in-house players and bringing in valuable transfers.

NC State added two tight ends out of the transfer portal. It started with FCS Champion Hunter Provience, who just helped Montana State to a win in the title game during the 2025 season as a top-tier blocking tight end. In addition to Provience, Locklear pursued and brought in Oregon's Vander Ploog, a former four-star recruit who redshirted his first season with the Ducks before choosing the transfer portal.

Those two joined returner Preston Douglas, who watched while Joly, Cody Hardy and Dante Daniels became one of the most effective position groups on the Wolfpack roster during the 2025 season. Douglas performed well in spring practices, potentially emerging as a top option to take over Joly's role as the pass-catching tight end come 2026.

Culture established

Nov 1, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren during the first quarter at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Doeren and Locklear both believe that the success Joly had in his two seasons with the Wolfpack will help significantly over time. 11 touchdown receptions and over 1,000 yards combined over two seasons with the program helped the new tight end coach gain national recognition for his efforts. The effects were felt in the recruiting battle already, as the Pack was able to bring in some talented high school tight ends who could potentially step up in the future.

While Joly will be missed in Raleigh, his impact will be felt in the coming seasons, as he helped truly establish NC State as a go-to destination for any tight end looking to be valued in a different way.

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