TE, Virginia
Height: 6’7″
Weight: 254 lbs
Class: rs-Senior
Woods was a high school quarterback, and was initially recruited to play the position in college. A three-star prospect, he earned offers from the likes of Michigan and Louisville, but committed instead to Oklahoma State. He subsequently redshirted his freshman season and made the move to tight end.
Woods spent the next three years as a starter for the Cowboys, playing primarily as a blocking tight end. After logging just 31 receptions in his three seasons, he transferred to Virginia ahead of the 2021 season as a means of earning more opportunities in the passing game. He got just that, finishing the season with 598 yards and eight touchdowns on his 44 receptions and earning First Team All-ACC honours in the process.
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Strengths
Woods is one of the most physically imposing prospects in this class. At 6’7″ and 254 lbs, he boasts outstanding size. He isn’t phased by contact throughout the route stem and presents a mismatch weapon when flexed out as a receiver. His size also allows him to consistently break tackles after the catch, with 11 on 44 receptions in 2022. This physical profile also enables him to hold his own against defensive linemen as an inline blocker.
This combination of size and strength makes Woods exceptional in contested catch situations. His ability to box out defenders at the catch point is outstanding and this should translate nicely to the NFL level. He has a huge catch radius and is comfortable working outside his frame and adjusting for poor ball placement. This all combined to make him open, even when he’s in tight coverage. Woods finished the 2021 season with 11 wins on his 18 contested targets.
Woods isn’t just a big-bodied contested catch target though. He showcases tremendous athletic ability, recording the highest Relative Athletic Score of any tight end prospect since 1987. His vertical and broad jump both ranked above the 95th percentile and he also posted a hugely impressive 4.61 40-yard dash. This shows up on tape too, with Woods showing the ability to win as a vertical threat up the seam. This gives him true mismatch ability, with too much speed for linebackers and too much size for defensive backs.
Another aspect of Woods’ game that is particularly promising is his ability as a route runner. Despite playing as a primarily blocking tight end for three years at Oklahoma State, he already showed flashes of technique in his lone season with Virginia. He has a good understanding of how to vary his route pacing and knows how to manipulate defenders to create separation through technique. His hand usage off the line and throughout the route stem is also very impressive and allows him to create late separation in his routes.
Weaknesses
Whilst Woods has plenty of experience and shows good effort as a blocker, he still needs to refine his technique. His hand placement is noticeably inconsistent. When coupled with a tendency to lean into defenders, this can cause him to slip off blocks in the running game. His height also presents issues and he struggles to play with leverage. Smarter and smaller defenders were often able to get under his pads and neutralise his efforts early.
There will be some other minor concerns with Woods’ game. Whilst his physicality and size did allow him to break a number of tackles, he isn’t particularly dynamic in the open field and won’t make defenders miss in space. He also has just one season of significant pass catching experience and will turn 24 years old as a rookie.
Bottom Line
Woods offers a truly rare combination of size, speed, and athletic ability. He has shown himself to be a true three level threat with a huge catch radius to consistently win contested targets. His blocking technique needs some work, but he has all of the tools to be an immediate receiving threat at the next level.
Ideal role: Flex tight end in a vertical passing offense
Round projection: 3rd round
