Chargers pick Baylor safety Woods in the third round
COSTA MESA » The Chargers continued adding to their secondary with their second pick of the 2022 NFL draft.
The team selected former Baylor safety JT Woods with the 79th overall pick on Friday night. The 6-foot2, 195-pound Woods has the size to defend tight ends and the speed and ball skills to create takeaways.
Woods recorded nine interceptions in his final two seasons at Baylor, including six last year, along with a 97yard fumble return touchdown. He earned honorable mention All-Big 12 as a junior and senior, and his nine interceptions tied for most among all FBS players in the past two seasons.
Many draft experts viewed Woods as a fourthor fifth-round pick, but Woods’ skill set resembles what Chargers coach Brandon Staley prefers from his defensive backs.
“His game speed, he’s running over 21 miles an hour,” Staley said. “It’s the speed plus the way he processes. He’s got a great processor because he’s really smart. You put the physical speed with that mental speed, you’re getting a really high-end secondary player.”
Woods agreed with his new head coach’s evaluation: “I do have the size and the speed, but I really use my intellect to kind of drive a lot of the plays that I make.”
Chargers general manager Tom Telesco used the word “unique” several times to describe his new safety.
“He’s a safety with a lot of cover ability,” Telesco said. “With his length and his speed, he shows a little bit of corner movement, so we can see him as a defensive back.”
Woods’ stock increased after participating in the Senior Bowl, where he also recorded an interception, and it helped that Woods clocked an impressive 4.36 in the 40yard dash. The San Antonio native was a hurdler on Baylor’s track and field team.
“Big-time track athlete in high school,” Telesco said. “Enough that he was a hurdler at Baylor. That tells you how fast he is because Baylor has a big-time track program.”
Woods will join a Chargers safety group that includes Pro Bowler Derwin James and Nasir Adderley, a 2019 second-round pick. Woods could potentially compete with Adderley, who has struggled in his two seasons as the team’s starting free safety. The Chargers also have second-year safety Mark Webb Jr., the team’s seventh-round pick last spring.
Woods said he primarily played in the deep part of the field and occasionally defended tight ends and slot receivers. Perhaps the Chargers consider moving Woods to cornerback because of unique skill set, but Telesco said he views him as a versatile safety.
Staley said he’s intrigued by Woods’ coverage skill, which will allow him to have many defensive back grouping on the field.
“Can’t have enough of them,” Staley said about defensive backs. “JT has a lot of rare DB stuff . ... Those are rare numbers.”
The Chargers signed top cornerback J.C. Jackson in the offseason, but Staley said he was searching for more secondary depth to defend the star quarterbacks of the AFC West. Woods will help with that, but some draft experts have concerns about his tackling skills. Telesco and Staley said they don’t see that as an issue.
“I don’t think a lot of safeties in the league now match my prototype being 6-2, 195 and having the speed that I have,” Woods said. “It’s just a little bit rare, I’d say. Finding specific people who match me is a little difficult.”
Regardless of where Woods plays, the Chargers are probably eager about unlocking Woods’ potential as a playmaker. Woods was given the nickname “The Heartbreak Kid” because he had many interceptions in fall camp before the 2019 season.
“I started breaking hearts of quarterbacks across the country, not just the ones in the practice facility,” Woods said.
The Chargers had a long wait Friday before selecting Woods because they sent their second-round pick to the Chicago Bears in the trade for star edge rusher Khalil Mack. Telesco said he put Mack’s name on his draft board after the 48th pick, the one he sent to Chicago.
“It took forever and you see all those good players go off,” Telesco said, “but we did put Khalil’s card up on the board in our second-round spot that we took him. He’s the oldest player that I’ve drafted.”
The Chargers filled a need on the offensive line with their first-round selection of offensive guard Zion Johnson. On Friday, the team continued their defensive makeover with the addition of Woods.
Woods said he turned to his best friend and showed him his phone after he found out he was selected by the Chargers.
“He just looked at me and said, ‘We’re going to California,’” Woods recalled.
Staley and his many star defenders will be eagerly awaiting Woods’ arrival.