Falcons To Host Virginia TE Jelani Woods; Complement To Kyle Pitts?
Virginia tight end Jelani Woods stands 6-7 and weighs in at 275 pounds. If the Atlanta Falcons were to target the "traditional type" tight end, it would be hard to imagine them passing on Woods in the later rounds.
According to NFL Network, Woods is set to visit with the Falcons on Wednesday. He has risen up draft boards and could be one of the top tight ends selected in the third or fourth round after posting top-tier numbers at the NFL Combine last month.
Electing to transfer from Oklahoma State prior to the start of the 2021 season, Woods became one of the main red zone targets for the Cavaliers' offense. He ended up posting career numbers on the year with 44 receptions for 598 yards and eight touchdowns — six of which from inside the 20-yard line.
Woods fits the protycial "Y" tight end profile, as in he primarily finds success with from a three-point stance. Last season he was never called for a holding penalty against the run and improved his overall footwork and route-running under the direction of then-coach Bronco Mendenhall.
The rise of Woods comes from his performance and the East-West Shrine Bowl and later numbers at the combine. Woods impressed in Las Vegas as the top tight end prospect and later translated his on-field production with high-end numbers in Indianapolis.
During the combine, Woods posted as 4.61 40-time and posted 24 reps on the bench press, the highest among all tight ends working out at Lucas Oil Stadium.
"I'm an every down tight end," Woods said in an interview with NFL Network last month. "I'm a guy that likes to win and give it his all."
Falcons' coach Arthur Smith's offense in Tennessee thrived when the tight end position excelled. Often running. a 12-personnel look, the Titans reached new heights in 2020 thanks to the success of Jonnu Smith and Anthony Firkser playing off one another in both the receiving game and in run blocking formation.
Firkser joined the roster on a one-year deal, and Atlanta still has second-year standout Kyle Pitts. Of the two, Frisker will be the in-line blocker while Pitts will play more of Smith's role from the flex. He also is expected to move across the field with a chance of even serving as a more of a "F-back" type role on certain formations.
Adding Firkser only lessens the need of adding a tight end early. It doesn't mean Atlanta should be content long-term at the position, especially in terms on the passing attack. Woods needs to become a more refined receiver, but from a blocking standpoint, it's to imagine he'll need to improve by much.
Atlanta has done its homework on tight ends, meeting both Iowa State's Charlie Kolar and UCLA's Greg Dulcich. Dulcich's game has been described similar to that of Pitts in terms of a receiver first and blocker second.
Woods is the more prototypical tight end that provides the in-line success Smith is looking for. Atlanta will has its chance to select him should be on the clock with one of its eight total draft picks.
