NC State TE Justin Joly rose from hidden recruiting gem to stardom. He isn’t satisfied yet.

Justin Joly wanted to make a loud first impression. He had a few ideas for what the execution would look like, but as one of NC State’s four player representatives at ACC Kickoff, Joly was eager to have the media members in attendance turning their heads. By the time he rolled up the Hilton Uptown Charlotte in late July, Joly’s outfit didn’t blend in with the rest of the bland black and blue suits that most players went with. Instead, he opted to have an all-red custom suit designed by Durham-based tailor, Jeremy Quinn of Saint Amour.  It wasn’t a basic suit, either. Joly, like his play on the field as NC State’s standout tight end, needed something to call his own. Quinn helped with that, using a red jacket with a red dress shirt — hideaway buttons and all — with red pants, accented by a black bow tie. Joly capped the outfit with sparkly black Louboutin shoes, a diamond necklace and a Tuffy-logoed lapel pin.  “I’m a bold person. I’m a bold player on the field,” Joly said with a grin in Charlotte. “I like to make a statement, so why not make a statement with what I’m wearing?” Joly is ready to make an even louder entrance into his final season of college football this fall. The senior tight end rose from an under-the-radar high school recruit to one of the most-coveted transfer portal players, and now he’s among the top players in the country heading into the 2025 campaign.  The former UConn standout was named a Preseason All-ACC selection by the media at ACC Kickoff, while he has seen his name added to the Biletnikoff Award watch list, and is a likely addition to the Mackey Award watch list when it’s released later this summer. Oh, and Joly is On3’s No. 1-ranked tight end nationally heading into his last year with the Pack.  But despite the individual accolades streaming in faster than a firehose, Joly still wears a chip on his shoulder. He feels like there’s still more for him to learn even though he’s one of the best tight ends in America. It’s the motivation that led him to this point, and what he believes will carry him further than he can imagine.