Insider: Jelani Woods' learning curve has been steep but he promises best is yet to come
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - Jelani Woods watched the play break down, saw Sam Ehlinger step up from the 11-yard line, past a would-be tackler, keeping his feet and moving his eyes to the end zone. Woods' eyes got big, too.
He drifted back outside, past two defenders who got lost in their gaze on Ehlinger. The ball came in high, even for a 6-foot-7 tight end, so Woods leaped off the ground and palmed it with two hands above his head for his unofficial first career touchdown.
"It's really just a scramble drill, something typical that we work on in practice," Woods said following the Colts 27-24 loss to Buffalo in their preseason opener. "Sam ended up getting me open in the end zone.
"It felt exciting, getting that pressure off your back. Our tight end room, we like to be the go-getters, especially when we get in the red zone."
It won't count as his first career score because it's just preseason, and preseason games don't count. But Woods still cherished it, flashing a wide grin in the locker room after the game as he joked with his roommate and fellow rookie tight end Drew Ogletree about his screen touchdown that got called back for a penalty.
Doyel:Colts receivers look bad in preseason opener but there were some positives (maybe)
Woods needed a day like Saturday, when he came out on an NFL field against other professionals and made plays that a player of his dimensions can make. He showed it on the touchdown, and he showed it on a slant run-pass-option concept across the middle, when he laid out his 6-7 frame to secure a low ball from Ehlinger.
A third-round rookie out of Virginia who spent just one year as a receiving tight end, Woods has had the kind of elongated transition to NFL tight end play that affects most rookies. In training camp practices, he's ceded some first-team reps to Ogletree, selected three round later, as he's struggled with drops. It's been a mix of concentration and physical mistakes that pop up now and again.
But that was also practice, which is designed to be a daily strain in the hopes of making players better.
"It's a hard game. It's the NFL," Woods said. "I don't take anything (without a) grain of salt because I just switched to tight end not too long ago. I'm still learning. ... It can get a little bit heavy at times."
Mo Alie-Cox knows what Woods is working through. Four years ago, Alie-Cox was a rookie tight end who had barely played the position before after starring on the basketball court at Virginia Commonwealth. His first two seasons in the league produced just 15 catches. He was constantly working to fine-tune a 6-foot-5 body with timing, coordination, precision and a nuanced reading of the defense.
"Everything is moving fast. You're installing new plays, literally every single day. You might not even have down what you did the day before and then they're putting in new stuff," Alie-Cox said.
Now that the install of the playbook is mostly done, Alie-Cox is hoping Woods will see the game slow down and live off the inertia of the plays he can nail, like that catch in the end zone.
"His greatest asset it his speed, man," Alie-Cox said. "You see how big he is, but he's also fast."
That speed, clocked at an elite 4.61 seconds in the 40-yard dash, keeps Colts coaches excited. They sweated out the third round until they were able to select him at No. 73. They loved his measurables and personality but knew the transition would be a challenge, especially with a positional need after Jack Doyle's retirement.
The transition is a daily challenge right now, producing mistakes to learn from. But it can also produce a highlight, like the one Woods left his feet for on Saturday.
"It was something to look forward to in the future," Woods said.
Contact Colts insider Nate Atkins at natkins@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @NateAtkins_.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts: Rookie TE Jelani Woods delivers TD vs. Bills after slow start
