Jelani Woods Selected in 3rd Round of NFL Draft by Indianapolis Colts

Woods was the second tight end taken in the 2022 NFL Draft

Matt Newton | Apr 29, 2022

Welcome to Indianapolis, Jelani Woods.

Former Virginia tight end Jelani Woods was selected with the 73rd overall pick in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts.

Woods is the first UVA tight end selected in the NFL Draft since John Phillips in 2009 and he is the second-ever Virginia tight end to be selected in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft, joining Heath Miller, who was taken with the the No. 30 pick in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Steelers.

In his single season in Charlottesville after transferring from Oklahoma State, Woods recorded 44 receptions for 598 yards and eight touchdowns and garnered First-Team All-ACC honors. Woods somehow continued to fly under the radar even after a sensational season with the Cavaliers, but he certainly turned heads at the NFL Combine after leading all tight ends with 24 reps on the bench press and running a 4.61 40-yard dash, the fastest time for a tight end 6'7" or taller since 2003.

At Virginia's Pro Day, Woods continued to impress, recording a 37.5" vertical jump, a 10-foot, nine-inch broad jump, a 4.20-second 20-yard shuttle, and a 6.78-second 3 Cone Drill, all marks that would have ranked first among the tight ends at the NFL Draft.

Now, Woods has found his home in the National Football League with the Indianapolis Colts, where he will join fellow Wahoo Rodney McLeod, who signed with the Colts two weeks ago. Congratulations to another former Cavalier making it to the next level.

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Published Apr 29, 2022

MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.