Jelani Woods
{{Short description|American football player (born 1998)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Jelani Woods
| image = Jelani Woods OCT2022 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Woods with the Indianapolis Colts in 2022
| current_team = Indianapolis Colts
| number = 80
| position = Tight end
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1998|10|9}}
| birth_place = Ellenwood, Georgia, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 7
| weight_lb = 253
| high_school = Cedar Grove (Ellenwood)
| college = {{ubl|Oklahoma State (2017–2020)|Virginia (2021)}}
| draftyear = 2022
| draftround = 3
| draftpick = 73
| pastteams =
- Indianapolis Colts ({{NFL Year|2022}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
| statleague = NFL
| statseason = 2024
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Receptions
| statvalue1 = 25
| statlabel2 = Receiving yards
| statvalue2 = 312
| statlabel3 = Receiving touchdowns
| statvalue3 = 3
| pfr = WoodJe01
}}
Jelani Woods (born October 9, 1998) is an American professional football tight end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oklahoma State Cowboys before transferring to the Virginia Cavaliers for 2021, when he was named first-team All-ACC. Woods was selected by the Colts in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft.
Early life
Woods grew up in Ellenwood, Georgia, and attended Cedar Grove High School. He played quarterback and passed for 1,992 yards with 20 touchdown passes against six interceptions in his junior season.{{Cite web |last=Holcomb |first=Todd |date=August 2, 2016 |title=Top projected players by position: Golden era for QBs in Georgia |url=https://www.ajc.com/blog/high-school-sports/top-projected-players-position-golden-era-for-qbs-georgia/c8pGLmzwHsMw8mtUA7l83J/ |access-date=December 1, 2021 |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}} Woods was also named honorable mention All-State in basketball by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.{{Cite web |date=March 25, 2016 |title=2016 high school basketball all-state teams |url=https://www.ajc.com/blog/high-school-sports/2016-high-school-basketball-all-state-teams/mlN3RtdjhdNkfPsKdXPZJJ/ |access-date=December 2, 2021 |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}} As a senior, he was named honorable mention All-State and first-team All-Region 5 3A after passing for 2,316 yards and 26 touchdowns.{{Cite web |last=Fredrickson |first=Kyle |date=January 17, 2017 |title=OSU football: Quarterback Jelani Woods a quick learner in music, football |url=https://oklahoman.com/article/5534682/osu-football-quarterback-jelani-woods-a-quick-learner-in-music-football |access-date=December 1, 2021 |website=The Oklahoman}} Woods was rated a three-star recruit and committed to play college football at Oklahoma State over offers from Michigan, Louisville, Kansas State, and South Carolina.{{Cite web |last=Cooper |first=Mark |date=December 19, 2018 |title=National Signing Day: From New England to Southern California to Stillwater, for quarterback Brendan Costello, signing with Oklahoma State was about relationships |url=https://tulsaworld.com/sports/college/osu/national-signing-day-from-new-england-to-southern-california-to-stillwater-for-quarterback-brendan-costello/article_280cc2ad-0d16-51e5-bf4c-ae45ecb66cdc.html |access-date=December 1, 2021 |website=Tulsa World}}{{Cite web |last=Fredrickson |first=Kyle |date=May 16, 2016 |title=Oklahoma State football: 2017 quarterback commit Jelani Woods maturity defined by a brotherly love |url=https://oklahoman.com/article/5498266/oklahoma-state-football-2017-quarterback-commit-jelani-woods-maturity-defined-by-a-brotherly-love |access-date=December 1, 2021 |website=The Oklahoman}}
College career
Woods began his college career at Oklahoma State. He joined the team as an early enrollee and redshirted his freshman year and was moved from quarterback to tight end during the Cowboys practices leading up to the 2017 Camping World Bowl.{{Cite web |last=Cooper |first=Mark |date=October 19, 2016 |title=This week in Oklahoma State football: Jelani Woods planning to enroll early |url=https://tulsaworld.com/sports/college/osu/this-week-in-oklahoma-state-football-jelani-woods-planning-to-enroll-early/article_c9b579e7-bc0c-545e-bc2c-33dc5949b244.html |access-date=December 2, 2021 |website=Tulsa World}}{{Cite web |last=Gillispie |first=Jimmy |date=August 24, 2018 |title=Redshirt freshman Jelani Woods transitions from quarterback to Cowboy back |url=https://www.stwnewspress.com/sports/local_sports/redshirt-freshman-jelani-woods-transitions-from-quarterback-to-cowboy-back/article_6245a528-b7e6-5776-bb57-ddb1912e4f19.html |access-date=December 1, 2021 |website=NewsPress}} Woods finished his redshirt freshman season with seven receptions for 120 yards and two touchdowns.{{Cite web |last=Elmquist |first=Jason |date=August 29, 2019 |title=Woods ready to become next great Cowboy back |url=https://www.theadanews.com/sports/local_sports/woods-ready-to-become-next-great-cowboy-back/article_e336e82f-5c78-506f-9840-225900df4d29.html |access-date=December 1, 2021 |website=The Ada News}} As a redshirt sophomore, he caught 16 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown and was an honorable mention All-Big 12 Conference selection.{{Cite web |last=Bonner II |first=Frank |date=July 17, 2020 |title=OSU football: Jelani Woods named to the John Mackey Award watch list |url=https://tulsaworld.com/sports/college/osu/osu-football-jelani-woods-named-to-the-john-mackey-award-watch-list/article_880c4411-cdd7-56bf-a4b3-e040170dc52f.html |access-date=December 1, 2021 |website=Tulsa World}} Woods had eight receptions for 129 yards and a touchdown and was again named honorable mention All-Big 12 as a redshirt junior.{{Cite web |last=Wright |first=Scott |date=December 21, 2020 |title=OSU football: Jelani Woods enters transfer portal, per report |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/sports/college/cowboys/2020/12/21/osu-football-jelani-woods-enters-transfer-portal-per-report/318186007/ |access-date=December 1, 2021 |website=The Oklahoman}}
Following the end of the season, Woods announced he would be transferring to Virginia Cavaliers as a graduate student.{{Cite web |last=Barber |first=Mike |date=April 28, 2021 |title=Oklahoma State transfer Jelani Woods fills a big hole at tight end for UVA |url=https://richmond.com/sports/college/oklahoma-state-transfer-jelani-woods-fills-a-big-hole-at-tight-end-for-uva/article_b3b8c310-8ea2-5401-a2b9-51a719d811e1.html |access-date=December 1, 2021 |website=Richmond Times-Dispatch}} He was named first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference after catching 44 passes for 598 yards and eight touchdowns.{{Cite web |date=November 30, 2021 |title=U.Va.’s Wicks, Woods make All-ACC football first team |url=https://www.pilotonline.com/sports/college/vp-sp-region-state-1201-20211130-wmm7tgfjlbaorhvkxfdxvoufcy-story.html |access-date=December 1, 2021 |website=The Virginian-Pilot}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 7 1/8
| weight = 253
| dash = 4.61
| ten split = 1.57
| twenty split = 2.62
| shuttle = 4.33
| cone drill = 6.95
| vertical = 37.5
| broad ft = 10
| broad in = 9
| bench = 24
| arm span = 34 1/8
| hand span = 9 1/4
| wonderlic =
| note = All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day{{Cite web |last=Reuter |first=Chad |last2=Zierlein |first2=Lance |title=Jelani Woods Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/jelani-woods/3200574f-4f50-0422-b6bf-870b499f48cd |access-date=March 10, 2022 |website=NFL.com}}{{Cite web |title=Jelani Woods, Virginia, TE, 2022 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1023383&DraftYear=2022 |access-date=March 10, 2022 |website=draftscout.com}}{{Cite web |title=
Colts select Jelani Woods with No. 73 pick in 2022 draft |url=https://www.nfl.com/videos/colts-select-jelani-woods-with-no-73-pick-in-2022-draft |access-date=November 10, 2024 |website=NFL.com}}
}}
Woods was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round with the 73rd overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=2022 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2022/draft.htm |access-date=October 11, 2022 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Stankevitz |first=JJ |date=April 29, 2022 |title=NFL Draft 2022: Colts Select Virginia Tight End Jelani Woods With No. 73 Overall Pick |url=https://www.colts.com/news/nfl-draft-virginia-tight-end-jelani-woods-third-round-73 |website=Colts.com}} In Week 3, against the Kansas City Chiefs, Woods scored his first two professional touchdowns on his first two career receptions in a 20–17 victory.{{Cite web |last=Boyd |first=James |date=September 26, 2022 |title=Why Colts rookie TE Jelani Woods’ big day vs. Chiefs was extra special |url=https://theathletic.com/3628726/2022/09/25/jelani-woods-colts-matt-ryan/ |access-date=October 28, 2022 |website=The Athletic}} He finished the season with 25 catches for 312 yards and three touchdowns.
On August 30, 2023, Woods was placed on injured reserve.{{Cite web |date=August 30, 2023 |title=Colts re-sign WR Isaiah McKenzie; place TE Jelani Woods on IR |url=https://www.colts.com/news/colts-resign-wr-isaiah-mckenzie-place-te-jelani-woods-on-ir |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=Colts.com}}
On August 23, 2024, it was announced that Woods had undergone toe surgery and would miss roughly four months in recovery.{{cite web | last=Alper | first=Josh | title=Colts TE Jelani Woods had toe surgery | website=NBC Sports | date=2024-08-23 | url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/colts-te-jelani-woods-had-toe-surgery | access-date=2024-09-05}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Additional reading
- Andrew Moore, [https://web.archive.org/web/20220903083708/https://www.si.com/nfl/colts/news/jelani-woods-indianapolis-colts-rookie-files "Jelani Woods: Indianapolis Colts Rookie Files,"] Horseshoe Huddle, August 31, 2022.
External links
- [https://www.colts.com/team/players-roster/jelani-woods/ Indianapolis Colts bio]
- [https://virginiasports.com/player/Jelani-Woods/ Virginia Cavaliers bio]
- [https://okstate.com/sports/football/roster/jelani-woods/9031 Oklahoma State Cowboys bio]
{{Indianapolis Colts roster navbox}}
{{Indianapolis Colts 2022 draft navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Woods, Jelani}}
Category:American football tight ends
Category:Virginia Cavaliers football players
Category:Players of American football from Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Oklahoma State Cowboys football players