CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Tight end Jelani Woods has accepted an invitation to play in the 2022 East-West Shrine Bowl on Feb. 3 in Las Vegas. He will join teammate Nick Grant who accepted his invitation earlier this month.
The Shrine Bowl, America’s longest-running college football all-star game, which supports Shriners Children’s®, will be played at the Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders as part of NFL Pro Bowl week.
Greatness!
The #ShrineBowl is excited to announce that @UVAFootball TE Jelani Woods, has accepted his invite to the 2022 East-West Shrine Bowl! @jelani_thegreat, we'll see you in Vegas! @ShrinersHosp | #ShrineBowlRoadToVegas🚘 pic.twitter.com/kpaD8rLNjW
— East-West Shrine Bowl (@ShrineBowl) December 20, 2021
Woods has put together one of the best seasons ever by a UVA tight end. In 11 games played in 2021 he’s caught 44 passes for 598 yards and eight touchdowns. His eight scores are the second most by any Power-5 tight end and one shy of matching Heath Miller’s 2002 single-season school record. He’s looking to become the third Cavalier tight end ever to eclipse the 600-yard receiving mark.
Prior to UVA he played three seasons at Oklahoma State. For his career, he has caught 75 passes for 959 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns.
Woods will play in his final game in a Virginia uniform on Dec. 29 in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl.
Grant and Woods are the 35th and 36th Cavaliers to accept an invitation to the game. Including Grant and woods, six UVA players in the last three seasons to be invited. Joe Reed was the last UVA player to be invited (2020).
