NC State had a pair of first-hand evaluations of Connecticut transfer tight end Justin Joly.
The 6-foot-3, 232-pound sophomore played at NC State his freshman year, catching a pass for a yard in a 41-10 Wolfpack victory Sept. 24. Joly snagged four passes for 38 yards in the return game in East Hartford, Conn., which the Wolfpack won 24-14. So, Joly wasn’t a complete stranger in knowing about NC State.
Joly officially visited NC State on Dec. 8, and committed Dec. 14. He also considered Indiana and Louisville, but never visited.
“It has been amazing and I got to experience the culture when I was here my freshman year,” Joly said. “They brought it to us. Now to be a part of it and in the culture, it’s amazing. You can experience what we were playing against. I can enjoy that.”
Joly hopes to build a good relationship with Coastal Carolina quarterback transfer Grayson McCall.
"Grayson is really smart and I want to see the game from his perspective," Joly said. "When I run my routes with him, I always ask him what he wants me to do and what I can do better against a Tampa 2, cover one or cover three."
Joly was a part of UConn coach Jim Mora’s first two years with the Huskies. The team went 6-7 in 2022, falling to Marshall in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. This past year was much more of a struggle in finishing 3-9.
Joly caught 18 passes for 250 yards and two scores in 2022, but took a major leap this past fall. He caught 56 passes for 578 yards and two touchdowns to set the UConn single-season record for tight ends.
Joly caught seven passes for 96 yards and a touchdown in a 38-31 win over Rice on Oct. 7, and he had eight catches for 89 yards in a 59-3 loss at Tennessee on Nov. 4.
NC State has revamped the tight end room under offensive coordinator Robert Anae, who also coaches the tight ends and inside receivers. Having a chance to play a prominent role is what helped entice Joly.
“The creativity and everything he does with the offense is amazing,” Joly said. “That was really important [the lack of tight ends] because I’ll have the opportunity. I want to show what I can do and be that guy for when Coach Anae needs me. That right there, put a real big smile on my face.”
Joly attended Iona Prep in New Rochelle, N.Y., in the class of 2022. He had 123 catches for 1,827 yards and 22 total touchdowns in high school.
The Rivals.com two-star prospect picked Connecticut over offers from Delaware, Maine, Monmouth, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Richmond and Sacred Heart.
The recruitment was definitely different the second time around, along with the NIL possibilities. Rivals.com had him as the No. 156 overall transfer in the country and a three-star prospect.
“I tried not to worry about money because I love the game,” Joly said. “It’s all in the heart, just playing football and being a part of something. I want to win and have a winning mentality.
“The first day, I had about 10 schools, and then it was three every day. It was the way that NC State made me feel when I got here. They made me feel like family. I could trust them and open up to them.”
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