Report: Clemson DL Ranked As ACC's Best Player, Third Best in CFB

It’s no secret that the Clemson Tigers have one of the best defensive line units in the country. One standout from that group recently earned national recognition, being ranked as the top defensive lineman in the nation, among other honors.

According to Pro Football Focus, Clemson defensive lineman Peter Woods is the third-best college football player in the country, and the best player in the ACC.

“Woods spent most of his sophomore season playing out of position at edge defender, yet he still earned an impressive 83.3 PFF overall grade. Over his first two years of college football, he is both the highest-graded and most valuable returning Power Four defensive tackle, according to PFF WAA,” the article read. “Woods leads all returning Power Four interior defenders in PFF run-defense grade (89.7) and pass-rush win rate (14.9%) since 2023. His combination of power and agility, at 6-foot-3 and 315 pounds, makes him a nightmarish matchup for opposing offensive linemen.”

As a sophomore, Woods made 28 combined tackles while totaling 8.5 tackles-for-loss and 3 sacks. As a freshman, he was named to the Freshman All-American team after making 26 tackles and 2.5 tackles-for-loss.

Woods also came in at the same slot on PFF’s NFL Draft Big Board, where he is projected to be the No.3 selection in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Some other Tigers to earn a spot on the list include quarterback Cade Klubnik (No.7), edge rusher T.J. Parker (No.10) and cornerback Avieon Terrell (No.27).

Earlier in the week, it was announced that Woods would be joining Klubnik and Parker on the 2025 Walter Camp Preseason All-America team.

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