Broncos' Late-Round Draft Pick Could 'Change Everything,' Expert Claims

The Denver Broncos had tight end on the brain going into the 2026 NFL draft. It was a priority to upgrade the room, and provide some reinforcements to the depth chart.

Sitting at the end of Round 2, things were lining up for the Broncos to still have mostly the pick of the tight-end litter, but 10 picks before they were set to go on the clock, a run at the position proceeded to take one top prospect after another off the board. The Broncos adjusted, trading back into Round 3 and taking defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim.

The Broncos knew they'd have an opportunity at another tight end prospect they liked; an underrated player expected to fall a little bit. When Round 5 rolled around, the Broncos saw their opportunity to get Justin Joly in the fold, so they traded a sixth-rounder to move up and get the N.C. State star.

NFL Draft On SI's Justin Melo is a fan of the Joly pick, tapping him as one of five fifth-round sleepers who could "change everything" for their respective teams.

"Justin Joly's pro comp is Chig Okonkwo, a former fifth-round tight end who has greatly outperformed his draft slot in the league. We see a similar path for Joly. The Brewster, New York native is an undersized, compact weapon who used to play wide receiver. That background shows up in his athleticism and route-running details," Melo wrote.

"Joly registered a team-high 49 receptions for 489 yards and seven receiving touchdowns. The Denver Broncos didn't get enough out of Evan Engram and Adam Trautman last season, so it wouldn't be surprising if Joly earned reps as a rookie."

Later-Round Finds

Washington Huskies running back Jonah Coleman (1) scores during the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini. | Tom Jones / IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

This isn't the first time Melo has featured Joly in a late-round write-up since the draft. The draft expert has also shone the spotlight on Denver's fourth-round running back, Jonah Coleman.

If Melo is right about these two draft picks, the Broncos indeed have a pair of sleepers who could reshape the offense and give Bo Nix two long-term weapons to build around. As a 14-win team, the Broncos have an extremely deep and diverse roster, which makes it a little tougher on rookies and draft picks to walk into a day-one role, but Joly has an excellent opportunity.

Engram didn't quite provide the return on investment the Broncos were hoping for in Year 1 with the club, and while Trautman was just re-signed to a three-year deal, he's not a dominant player at the Y tight end spot. A driven, talented rookie who can take well to coaching early on could absolutely begin eating into these veterans' snaps.

Joly has the talent, and based on what we know about him and what we've seen thus far, the drive is there, too. If he can really assimilate the techniques and scheme the coaches are teaching him this summer, you can believe that Sean Payton and offensive coordinator Davis Webb will have no problem finding creative ways to deploy the rookie on gamedays.

NFL Mindset? Check

North Carolina State Wolfpack tight end Justin Joly (7) catches a pass against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. | Luke Jamroz-Imagn Images

That's the mindset Joly espoused during the Broncos' rookie minicamp earlier this month.

“Just honestly, whatever the coaches tell you what to do, just go out there, do this route, make sure you do it correctly. Go watch film, come back," Joly said on May 9. "If I did something wrong, Coach is going to let me know. I'm going to try to come back and do better the next day.”

Out of the gates, Joly figures to be a red-zone weapon that Payton and Webb can utilize to win the numbers game inside the 20-yard line. He caught 11 touchdown passes over his two years at N.C. State, and that mismatch nightmare he presents to linebackers (too fast and athletic) and defensive backs (too big and physical) will be put to good use in Denver.

However the Broncos opt to utilize Joly's talents, he's ready for anything. Literally.

“Honestly, it's wherever the coaches want to put me," Joly said. "So it's like, if you want to put me in the back field, do you want to put me anywhere on the field? I'll do it. Even if they want to play defense, just let me know—I got you guys.”

The Takeaway

If Joly ends up being a hit in Year 1, it could give the Broncos confidence that he could succeed the soon-to-be 32-year-old Engram in 2027 and beyond. Melo is obviously high on Joly, and that matches Broncos Country's view of the fifth-round tight end.

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