The Denver Broncos need a receiving tight end who can produce, and Justin Joly just might be their man.
The Denver Broncos didn’t draft either of the top tight ends who were available in the NFL draft last week, which is more than a little surprising. The Broncos knew that Kenyon Sadiq would be off the board by the time they made their initial selection, but the ongoing availability of Eli Stowers was expected to draw interest.
Instead the Bronocos selected Justin Joly from North Carolina State, and his primary attribute is his hands. He doesn’t drop balls, and Joly’s hands are one reason he’s so reliable.
One of his former coaches, Jim Mora of UConn, has been talking up Joly quite a bit, and he again mentioned Joly’s hands in an anecdote he relayed to Nick Kosmider of The Athletic.
“He was so excited that he could finally dunk,” Mora said as he talked about Joly’s athletic development . “He couldn’t wait to show me that he could dunk. When I got there, it wasn’t the dunk that was impressive to me. The impressive part was that I’m watching him hold a basketball and it looks like a tennis ball in his hand.”
But Joly’s hands aren’t just huge. According to Broncos GM George Paton, the tight end also has some serious hand strength.
“Don’t shake his hand,” Paton said after greeting Denver’s new addition to the tight end room. “He’ll try to break it every time.”
Joly’s old tight end coach at North Carolina State, Gavin Locklear, confirmed that impression as he discussed hosting Joly on an official visit after the tight end entered the transfer portal.
“I shake his hand, and he’s got these ginormous hands,” Locklear said. “He’s got 10-½-inch hands and the strongest grip in the world. … He just engulfs the football.”
Joly will compete with fellow draftee Dallen Bentley of Utah for playing time and a roster spot, and Joly has an edge when it comes to athleticism. The Broncos are hoping that edge translates to production and receptions, especially given the disappointing season from incumbent tight end Evan Engram, who could be a cut candidate in June if Joly shows he’s ready to play.
“He’s smart, so he can handle a lot of volume in terms of packages for him,” said Mora, who is currently coaching at Colorado State after more than two decades in the NFL. “He can play a lot of spots. I know Sean [Payton] will create matchup issues because Sean is great at it.”
It’s fun to hear the stories and accolades, and it will be interesting to see if they translate. Most fifth-round picks don’t do much in the NFL, but the Broncos are hoping Joly will be a significant exception.