In Only 2 Years, Justin Joly Established Himself as 1 of the Best TE’s in NC State History

Senior Justin Joly has only been at NC State for two years, but that’s all that was needed to establish himself as one of the best Tight Ends in school history.

Joly is 1 of 5 Tight Ends to ever earn 1st Team All-ACC honors at NC State.

Justin Joly – 2025
Jaylen Samuels – 2015
George Bryan – 2010
Sean Berton – 2002
Pat Hovance – 1975

Joly finished the regular season with 47 receptions for 468 yards and 7 touchdowns. Joly’s 7 touchdowns this season are the most ever by a Tight End in a single season in school history, and his 47 receptions rank 4th.

He currently ranks 7th in receptions, and is tied for 2nd in touchdown receptions out of all FBS Tight Ends this season.

Over the past two seasons, Joly has racked up 90 receptions for 1,129 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Where do those numbers rank in school history?

Joly currently ranks 4th in NC State history in career receptions, 4th in career receiving yards and 4th in career touchdown receptions. All of the Tight End’s ahead of him played at last 3 seasons, with 4 of the 5 playing 4 seasons.

Career Receptions
1. Jaylen Samuels (4 seasons) – 202
2. George Bryan (4 seasons) – 126
3. TJ Williams (4 seasons) – 98
4. Justin Joly (2 seasons) – 90

Career Receiving Yards
1. Jaylen Samuels – 1,855
2. George Bryan – 1,294
3. TJ Williams – 1,283
4. Justin Joly – 1,129

Career Touchdown Recpetions
1. Jaylen Samuels – 19
2. George Bryan – 17
3. Cary Angeline – 12
4. Justin Joly – 11

In the world of the Transfer Portal, it is rare that a player plays four seasons at a single school, which makes it hard to determine the best players in school history. That’s not to say career records won’t be broken, but it will likely be few and far between.

Let me ask a question? Can you make the argument that Justin Joly is the best Tight End in NC State history?

I believe you can. I’m not saying he is, but I’m saying it’s not hard to make the argument. Allow me to make a case.

For starters, was Jaylen Samuels actually a Tight End. I would say no. He is listed as one in the NC State record books. He earned 1st Team All-ACC honors at Tight End in 2015, but in 2017, they adjusted and called him an H-Back. Samuels was a Swiss Army knife, not a true Tight End. He played Running Back, Fullback, Tight End and Wide Receiver.

Is Jaylen Samuels one of the best offensive players in Wolfpack history? Undoubtedly.

He ranks 2nd all-time in total career touchdowns behind Ted Brown, and in my opinion is the all-time leader in receptions. Emeka Emezie and Thayer Thomas are ahead of him, but they both got a 5th season on the field due to Covid-19.). Samuels is the true career receptions leader in NC State history.

Would I call him a Tight End? No, not in the traditional sense.

If you compare Joly to George Bryan, TJ Williams and Cary Angeline, his body of work in two seasons exceeds the body of work of all three of them over any two-year span in their college careers.

Not that this should factor into ranking the best Tight Ends in school history, but I firmly believe Joly has the chance to have the best NFL career of any of them. PFF ranks him as the #7 Tight End prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft Class, and the #97 overall player.

Wherever you rank Joly in school history, Wolfpack fans will forever be grateful he decided to transfer to Raleigh from UCONN.

Joly is one of the best to ever do it. Period.

Ok. Whatever.

I’ll say it.

I believe Justin Joly is the best true Tight End in NC State history.