Clemson Tigers defensive tackle Peter Woods has received a shocking outlook before the NFL Draft.
Heading into the 2025 college football season, most viewed Clemson Tigers defensive tackle Peter Woods as one of the top talents in the 2026 NFL Draft class.
Woods then put forth a remarkably disappointing final season at Clemson, finishing with 30 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and a couple of sacks, causing his draft stock to plummet.
The 21-year-old went from being considered a potential top-five pick to now possibly falling out of the first round entirely, representing one of the most significant non-quarterback slides in this year's crop.
But not all have lost hope in Woods.
Take Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports, for example, who recently ranked the mercurial defender sixth on his top 100 prospects lists before the draft.
"Like every other member of the Clemson program, Woods had a down 2025 campaign -- especially compared to the season before. He weighed 298 pounds during the pre-draft process but played closer to 320 in 2024, which feels more reflective of the player he'll be in the NFL," Wilson wrote.
Peter Woods. Credit: Ken Ruinard / USA Today Co Inc SC / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.Some have flagged Woods for his lack of size, but Wilson does not think it will be an issue in the pros.
"His game is built on dominating the line of scrimmage, and despite average arm length (31¼ inches) and testing numbers (29-inch vertical), he consistently wins with leverage, violent hands and power," Wilson added. "He's also scheme-versatile, lining up just about everywhere along the defensive line, and plays with a high motor. Even without a deep pass-rush arsenal, Woods' ability to control gaps, defeat double teams and consistently reset the line of scrimmage is a big reason he's my DL1."
Woods is part of a deep defensive tackle draft class that also includes names like Caleb Banks, Kayden McDonald, Lee Hunter and Christen Miller, among others, and he has certainly slipped behind many of them on draft boards.
However, there is no doubt that when Woods is at the top of his game, he is one of the most explosive defensive players in the country.
If Woods does somehow slip into the second round, he could end up being one of the biggest steals of this class.
The fact that some people still have such high expectations for Woods is refreshing, because the general consensus has largely been otherwise in recent weeks.
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