The Denver Broncos traded away their 170th and 182nd picks in the 2026 NFL Draft to move up in the fifth-round to select N.C. State tight end Justin Joly. After missing out on some of the top-tier options at tight end, the Broncos land a talented player in the middle of the fifth-round who has a chance to thrive in Head Coach Sean Payton’s offense.

After spending his first two seasons at Connecticut, Joly transferred to N.C. State and became a focal point in their receiving attack. In 2024, he had 43 catches for 661 yards and four touchdowns. This past season, he was the Wolfpack’s leading receiver with 49 receptions for 489 yards and seven touchdowns. He lined up in multiple spots for them from tight end to slot receiver and even spent some time in their backfield. That’s the type of versatility that will hopefully wind up paying big dividends for the Broncos in the future.

With Evan Engram in the final year of his contract with the Broncos, finding a potential replacement who can be a ‘“F” move tight end with big slot flexibility for the offense was a must. Joly was well thought of by draft analyst Dane Brugler, who had him pegged as the fourth best tight end in this draft (#87 overall) and compared him to Jonnu Smith. I’m a fan of this selection and am glad that Bo Nix has another weapon on offense at his disposal.