The Denver Broncos are coming off a strong 2025 season, winning the AFC West and making a run to the conference title game. With a roster already in solid shape, the team entered the 2026 NFL Draft with few glaring needs—but tight end was one area they knew they had to address.
Despite limited draft capital, Denver made moves to shore up that position, along with running back and defensive tackle. Their biggest tight end acquisition came on Day 3, when they traded up with the Cleveland Browns to select NC State's Justin Joly at No. 152 overall.
Joly is a versatile pass-catcher who fits well into Sean Payton's offensive system. But according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Broncos had their eyes on a different tight end earlier in the draft—Vanderbilt standout Eli Stowers.
"Denver explored taking a tight end somewhat early, but the board didn't fall that way," Fowler reported. "The Broncos would have considered Vanderbilt's Eli Stowers if he made it to No. 62 (he went eight picks earlier)."
Stowers was selected at No. 54 by the Philadelphia Eagles, just ahead of a tight end run that saw Marlin Klein, Max Klare, and even a surprise pick in Texas A&M's Nate Boerkircher all go in the second round. Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq was the first tight end off the board in Round 1, as expected.
Denver ultimately traded out of the second round entirely, but the draft board could have looked very different if Stowers had slipped just a few more spots.
Still, the Broncos landed a promising player in Joly, who many analysts considered a steal on Day 3. After spending his first two seasons at UConn, the 6-foot-5 tight end transferred to NC State and finished his college career with 166 receptions for 1,978 yards and 15 touchdowns—including a career-high seven scores in his final season.
Whether Joly can develop into the same caliber weapon as Stowers remains to be seen, but Denver's front office clearly has a plan for the position. For now, Broncos fans can look forward to seeing how this versatile pass-catcher fits into Payton's offense—and maybe wonder what might have been if Stowers had fallen just a little further.