It’s no secret that the New York Giants are in the market for a tight end after losing Evan Engram in free agency, and cutting Kyle Rudolph and Kaden Smith this offseason.
And although they signed Ricky Seals-Jones on March 18, it appears that general manager Joe Schoen is looking to add a prospect at the tight end position during the upcoming NFL draft.
According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, the Giants hosted University of Virginia tight end Jelani Woods for a visit on April 18.
As Pelissero went onto add, Woods has “tested off the charts” at 6″7, 275 pounds. Woods has worked out with around 20 teams so far, and recently met with the Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts as well. He will have another visit with the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday, April 20.
During the NFL combine in February, Woods ran a 4.61 40-yard dash and bench pressed 225 pounds a total of 24 times.
Tight end is currently a glaring area of need on the Giants’ roster as the only players at the position that are under contract include Seals-Jones, Jake Hausmann, Rysen John and Chris Myarick.
Woods produced a strong final campaign with Virginia last season, making first-team All-ACC after recording 44 receptions for 598 yards and eight touchdowns across 11 games in 2021.
Projection
Woods’ overall size and length make him an attractive prospect at the tight end position in this year’s draft.
His height, big bodied frame and above-average hands also make him an excellent red zone target. Per Bleacher Report’s scouting department, Woods is an above-average blocker from the in-line positions and has extended catching range due to his length.
Among the negatives of Woods, as Bleacher Report pointed out, are his long legs, which hinder his ability to sink his hips while blocking or running shorter routes. Additionally, Woods is not a player that will create a significant amount of yards with the ball in his hands. However, he does have good build-up speed for intermediate and deep routes.
According to Bleacher Report, Woods might develop into a starter or a high-level backup. He is projected to be selected in the third-round of the NFL draft and best compares to retired tight end Martellus Bennett, who played for the Giants in 2012 and made the Pro Bowl in 2014 with the New England Patriots.
Additional TE Prospects
Beyond Woods, who Bleacher Report considers to be the fifth-best tight end in the draft, the Giants could look at a few different names, who can potentially come in and compete for playing time in 2022.
As Paul Schwartz of The New York Post reported, the Giants are expected to select a tight end with one of their later draft picks to come in and challenge Seals-Jones.
This year’s draft class is not viewed as a strong one for tight ends, which is why ESPN’s Mel Kiper has the first two players at this position coming off the board in the end of the second-round. Kiper’s top two tight end prospects are Trey McBride from Colorado State and UCLA’s Greg Dulcich.
McBride, who is 6″4, 260 pounds, only recorded one touchdown a season ago with Colorado State. But the 22-year-old caught 90 passes for 1,121 yards and averaged 12.5 yards per reception. As for Dulcich, he hauled in 42 catches for 725 yards and five touchdowns with the Bruins, while averaging 17.3 yards per catch in 2021.
In addition to McBride and Dulcich, the next two highest ranking tight end prospects, per NFL.com, are Jalen Wydermyer and Jeremy Ruckert.
Wydermyer spent the past three seasons at Texas A&M and made second-team All-SEC in three consecutive campaigns from 2019 to 2021.
As for Ruckert, the 21-year-old caught 12 touchdowns in three seasons with the Ohio State Buckeyes. However, Ruckert could not participate in running workouts at the NFL combine or his pro day due to a foot injury.
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Giants Host Top Tight End Prospect who ‘Tested off the Charts’