5 mid-round draft studs the Carolina Panthers must consider in 2022
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers must consider Jelani Woods
- Tight End | Virginia
It was something of a surprise to see the Carolina Panthers extend Ian Thomas rather than let him go during 2022 free agency. New offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo clearly feels like he can get the most out of the Indiana product, who has brought his blocking on leaps and bounds despite not factoring much in the passing game.
Hopes also remain high that Tommy Tremble can evolve into a productive pass-catcher under McAdoo, who has utilized tight ends heavily as part of his offensive gameplan. However, there is absolutely no guarantee Thomas can take a giant leap based on what we’ve seen so far and if Jelani Woods is available in the mid-rounds, it’s something to consider.
Woods enters the league on the back of a career season at Virginia where he secured 44 receptions for 598 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. His exceptional athletic attributes have been on full display at the NFL Scouting Combine and during his pro day, which won’t have gone unnoticed by teams looking for assistance from this positional group.
The prospect is a solid blocker and works tremendously hard on almost every down. Woods is a smooth route-runner who makes his presence felt both across the middle and in the red zone thanks to his soft hands and ability to get open quickly.
Anyone that drafts Woods will need to improve his route tree. The player also has just one year of solid production under his belt, which raises a little question mark.
However, the Panthers have Thomas and Tremble to pick up the slack. Adding Woods as a development project that could eventually become their No. 1 option wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world by any stretch.