Clemson's Peter Woods vs. Florida's Caleb Banks: ESPN Debates Best DT Draft Prospect

Heading into the 2025 college football season, it’s no secret that the Clemson Tigers have several players projected to be coveted prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.

In a recent article by ESPN’s Matt Miller, the top prospects at each position were debated, and several Tigers were in the mix.

While evaluating the top defensive tackles ahead of next year’s draft, Miller narrowed it down to Clemson’s Peter Woods and Florida’s Caleb Banks. Although Banks was included in the same tier as Woods, Miller mentioned that there is a significant gap between Woods and the rest of the class.

“The 2026 defensive tackle class doesn't have great top-end depth or many notable playmakers. It's basically Woods against the field, and he is primed to go wire to wire as the top prospect,” Miller wrote. “Woods, a 6-3, 315-pound junior, notched three sacks and 17 pressures last season, proving himself as a top-notch run defender. He did that while splitting time between the edge and interior, a role that often limited his pass-rush advantages because he was expected to play in space. If unleashed on the interior, Woods has top-10 ability.”

According to Pro Football Focus, Woods will be anchoring the top defensive line in the country as he enters the season leading all returning Power Four defensive tackles in run-defense grade (89.7) and pass-rush win rate (14.9%) since 2023.

Through two seasons at Clemson, he has recorded 59 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and three sacks, earning Freshman All-American honors from multiple media outlets in 2023.

On PFF’s NFL Draft Big Board, the rising junior is considered to be the third-best prospect in the upcoming draft. Ultimately, Miller settled with Woods as the top defensive tackle on his list. 

“Woods seems like a lock as the top defensive tackle, and that's where he'll start on my board,” said Miller.

Other Tigers mentioned throughout the article include quarterback Cade Klubnik, edge rusher TJ Parker and cornerback Avieon Terrell.

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