The Baltimore Ravens’ draft plans are becoming clearer by the day. While they’re always a highly unpredictable team, general manager Eric DeCosta has highlighted at least some of the thought process behind the scouting process ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.
On Wednesday, DeCosta and new head coach Jesse Minter held a press conference regarding the upcoming draft. It’s just a week away, and fans finally got a peek behind the curtain of what’s been going on in Charm City. Among the spots DeCosta was vocal about was the team’s tight end need.
DeCosta: "The positions that we need, we feel really strongly about in this draft."
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) April 15, 2026
He said tight ends, in particular, has guys all over the draft.
Well, if they want a tight end, there are many late Day 2 to early Day 3 targets they should be all over. NC State’s Justin Joly may be the best fit of the bunch, as he could become that Isaiah Likely-esque target that Lamar Jackson loved throwing to. He’s almost a clone.
Baltimore Ravens may be inching toward adding an Isaiah Likely replacement
Likely got a ton of hype in Baltimore, and was an effective weapon for Lamar Jackson and the passing attack. He was truly a mismatch in terms of his size and athleticism. However, he never reached his full potential, and after following John Harbaugh to the New York Giants in free agency, he’ll have a golden chance to reach his ceiling elsewhere. Now, DeCosta is searching for his replacement.
While it’ll be a new offense in 2026 led by offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, it’s still Jackson slinging the football. Maybe Likely’s replacement is Joly. Maybe it’s not. One thing’s for certain, though: Jackson has showcased dominance when targeting tight ends. Adding a Likely type of player to back up Mark Andrews would just feel like a simple fix. And Joly’s drawn a ton of comparisons to Likely.
Bleacher Report’s pro comparison in their scouting report for Justin Joly was Isaiah Likely. From size, to traits, to playstyle, it’s almost like you’re watching a mirror image.
Joly has an elite catch radius, plucking the ball out of the air with his long arms before defenders even have a chance to bat it away, and his athleticism to go up and get it makes him an even bigger problem. That athleticism transfers after the catch, too. His footwork, body control, and physicality can allow him to slip away from would-be tacklers and make splash plays.
Currently, Joly’s draft range is hovering around the late stages of the third round to the early stages of the fourth round. The Ravens hold the 80th overall pick in round three and the 115th overall pick in round four. Safe to say they’re in a good spot if they want Joly wearing the black and purple in 2026.
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