The 2026 NFL Draft is weeks away, and teams are finalizing their boards for the big weekend in Pittsburgh. While fans focus on the first round, the real foundation of a team is built in the middle rounds.
Drake Maye and the New England Patriots made more than a quantum leap from Year 1 to Year 2, advancing to Super Bowl 60, but ultimately lost to the Seattle Seahawks. Maye is expected to improve even further in Year 3.
Patriots Predicted To Select Justin Joly in the 2026 NFL Draft
The Patriots have a total of 11 picks in the upcoming draft, all their own selections, plus an additional fourth-round and three additional sixth-round picks, to bring in new talent to the fold and join the defending AFC Champions.
One position isn’t a primary need for the Patriots as a starter, but a position of need for depth and younger talent is at tight end.
Hunter Henry was a productive starter in 2025, catching 60 passes for 768 yards and 7 touchdowns. According to PFSN’s Tight End Impact Metric, Henry was good enough to rank 11th in the NFL among tight ends last season with an impact score of 82. However, he will turn 32 in December, and his backups are journeymen Julian Hill, who caught 15 passes for the Miami Dolphins last season, and CJ Dippre.
PFSN’s Jacob Infante has New England adding to the tight end room with the 95th overall selection in the third round with North Carolina State tight end Justin Joly.
“After standing out at UConn for two years, Justin Joly made the jump seamlessly to NC State for his final two years,” Infante wrote in his mock draft. “He’s a little smaller for a tight end but is a fluid athlete with great hands who knows how to work himself open against zone coverage.”
The 6-foot-3, 251-pound tight end Joly is a good player who can expand the route tree and beat man coverage with his athleticism. His route-running may need polishing, but he has excellent body control and can make tough catches. Joly is currently ranked as the third-best tight end in this year’s draft class on PFSN’s Big Board.
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Joly was named first-team All-ACC in 2025, leading NC State with 49 catches for 489 yards and 7 touchdowns. He joined NC State after two years at Connecticut, where he led the team in receptions in 2023 with 56 for 578 yards and 2 touchdowns. Joly has 166 catches for 1,978 yards and 15 touchdowns over four years at both schools.
Infante has New England addressing the wide receiver position with its first-round pick at No. 31 overall. Denzel Boston, out of Washington, joins the supporting cast for Drake Maye, along with Joly.
