JT Woods selected in 3rd round by Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers selected JT Woods with the 79th-overall pick in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
The 6-foot-2, 193-pound safety closed his Baylor career with an FBS-leading six interceptions, plus 57 tackles, and one fumble recovery. He also had two scores on the year, a pick-six against Texas State and a 97-yard fumble return vs. Texas Southern.
Woods was voted an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection by the league’s coaches last season.
Over his 4-year career, Woods played in 50 games, compiling 157 tackles, nine interceptions, three fumble recoveries, one sack, and 14 pass breakups.
The true senior from San Antonio was a late addition to the Reese’s Senior Bowl roster in Mobile, Alabama, where he received favorable reviews throughout the week and sealed a 20-10 win for the National Team with a late interception.
The tape at Baylor and time in Mobile helped Woods earn an NFL Combine invite where he ripped off a 4.36, placing him in the top ten overall times in Indianapolis and the second-fastest by a safety prospect. He also notched the top vertical among safeties at 39.50” and the 4th-best long jump at the position with a 10’8”.
Despite little talk initially, The Heartbreak Kid’s speed and athleticism at the Combine became harder to ignore, and he further impressed scouts weeks later at Baylor’s Pro Day with a 6.94 3-cone drill and 4.19 shuttle.
Woods is the third Bear drafted on Day 2 and the second defensive standout selected, joining DB Jalen Pitre (Texans) and WR Tyquan Thornton (Patriots).
Lance Zierlein, a draft analyst for NFL.com, had this to say about Woods: “Long-levered safety with excellent top-end speed and the potential to become a rangy playmaker if he can learn to play with better overall discipline. Woods has too many busted assignments to be trusted in single-high alignments at this time but offers teams the coverage versatility to be deployed in a variety of spots. If he can play with better decisiveness, he has the length, burst, and striking power to impact catch tries and take the ball away. Woods' tools are likely to make him a Day 2 pick, but he'll need to prove that his run support and tackle finishing are on a functional level for the pro game.”