04-21-2022, 08:16 PM
(04-20-2022, 10:12 PM)stripedwarrior Wrote: Could he be a little of a "Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane" type? The 10% drop rate is concerning.
https://underdognetwork.com/football/can-the-most-athletic-prospects-in-the-2022-nfl-draft-actually-play-football
The buzz is built on highlights. The barreling over multiple Pittsburgh defenders. Seam shot against Illinois and bouncing off defensive backs. Slant versus Wake Forest where he runs over the Wake Forest safety. Woods is a massive human rumbling when trying to get vertical. Size is a skill in this case as defenders do have a tough time wrapping up on him.
The question I come back to is if Woods can create space on his own, or will it need to be created for him via spacing, delayed routes or alignments. There is no suddenness. Runs a whip route and the grass turns into quicksand. When the defense is instructed to be physical with him near the line of scrimmage, Woods struggles to work around that wall, choosing to go through it instead) and that pacing slows the entire progression down.
Maybe a Mike Gesicki linear style could be in Jelani Woods’ future? I would never call Gesicki agile or sudden, but he looks like Hunter Renfrow compared to Woods. Or is a Donald Parham redzone, seam or sideline role a possibility for the soon-to-be Cavalier?
But Can He Play? I’m Dubious. The reason Jelani Woods did not receiver more opportunities is because he did not create them. A 10% drop rate does not help. There is not a comparable player with this style that sustained success. It would be different if his size was an asset in the running game.
Probably because he played hurt the last 8 games of the season.