
The 2026 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and we've got you covered with in-depth scouting reports for all of this year's top prospects.
Clemson's Peter Woods is one of the top interior defensive line prospects in this year's class, with a rare combination of size and athleticism that gives him unlimited potential at the next level. His impressive physical traits could make him the first player off the board at his position.
Here's everything NFL fans need to know about Woods heading into this year's draft:
Height: 6-3
Weight: 315
Age: 21
There simply aren’t that many 315-pound human beings on the planet with the kind of athleticism Woods brings to the table. Woods explodes off the snap, immediately putting opposing blockers on their heels and getting them off-balance as they try to recover and anchor. He can be a dangerous weapon on stunts and twists, as blockers who are late to catch him coming around or across have no hope of catching up once he’s got a full head of steam. He brings the power you’d expect from such a massive interior defender, too, anchoring effectively against the run and commanding routine double-teams. He’s a high-effort player whose nonstop motor jumps off the screen, and he’s got the versatility to line up at multiple spots across the defensive front.
As a pass rusher, Woods relies more on pure physical ability to win the majority of his reps, banking on his explosiveness and power to be enough without developing a wide range of polished moves. His technique as a tackler could use some work, too, as can struggle to consistently break down in space and wrap up ball-carriers. Those technical deficiencies have likely contributed to a lack of production that could be concerning to some NFL teams.
Woods will need a good amount of development and refinement at the next level, but his physical tools alone are enough to warrant a first-round pick. Throw in his every-down effort that never seems to wane, and NFL teams won’t have a problem spending an early pick to get his athleticism, versatility, power and motor into the building, and trust their coaching staff to maximize those traits and turn them into bigger numbers than he had in college.
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