UVA tight end Jelani Woods will play in East-West Shrine Bowl
Posted on Monday, Dec. 20, 2021, 6:21 pm
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By Jerry Ratcliffe
Virginia tight end Jelani Woods celebrates his first touchdown as a Cavalier in Saturday’s win over Illinois. (Photo: UVA Athletics)
Jelani Woods, who enjoyed one of the best seasons ever by a Virginia tight end, has accepted an invitation to play in the 2022 East-West Shrine Bowl (Feb. 3, Las Vegas), joining teammate Nick Grant, who accepted an invitation earlier this month.
The game will be played at Allegiant Stadium, home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders as part of NFL Pro Bowl week. Noted for being the nation’s longest-running college football all-star game, The Shrine Bowl supports Shriners Children.
Woods, who has indicated he will enter the NFL Draft and forgo another year of college eligibility, will play for Virginia in the Fenway Bowl against SMU on Dec. 29. He played one season for the Cavaliers after transferring from Oklahoma State.
Woods hauled in 44 passes for 598 yards and eight touchdowns this season, the second-most TD catches by a tight end among Power 5 schools. His eight are one of former Cavaliers All-American Heath Miller’s 2022 single-season school record. Woods is hoping to become only the third UVA tight end to eclipse the 600-yard receiving mark.
