There was a great deal of conversation this offseason about Travis Kelce’s future. After nearly 1,100 receptions and 13,000 yards, the 36-year-old contemplated retirement before Taylor Swift convinced him to play one more season. Noah Gray is the heir apparent, but in round three of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Chiefs think Justin Joly from NC State may be the next man up at tight end.

Joly is the 129th-ranked player on the PFF Big Board, sporting an overall rating of 77.9. He’s 6’4 and 241 pounds, has great hands, and runs a 4.7-second forty. He had career highs last year in receptions (49) and touchdowns (seven), while accumulating 489 yards. Despite not being an oversized tight end, he wins most contested and 50/50 balls. Where he really shows why he should take over for Kelce, is how he eats up zone defenses.

Joly is not a great run blocker, but then again, neither is Kelce. He is a receiving tight end, and he’s great at catching the football. Struggles with yards after the catch, so won’t be great on short routes. He will need to be targeted on mid to deep throws to be effective.