The New York Giants must target this player in the NFL Draft.
The New York Giants pulled off a stunning trade over the weekend, sending Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals for the 10th overall pick in the NFL Draft.
How the Giants were able to extract that much value out of Lawrence given the year he just had is nothing short of a miracle, and now, New York is set up with a pair of top-10 picks heading into Thursday.
The problem? The Giants now have a terrifying hole at defensive tackle. They needed another interior defender before moving Lawrence. Now, it's an absolute must.
Signing one of Calais Campbell or DJ Reader seems essential at this point, but unless New York trusts Darius Alexander to start next season (and it shouldn't), the Giants also need to pick up another defensive tackle in the draft.
There aren't any DTs worth selecting in the top 10, but New York could always trade down. Or, it could nab one of the many defensive tackles slated to be available with its second-round selection at No. 37.
On that note, there is one player the Giants should absolutely be monitoring and should be hoping to snatch this week: Clemson star Peter Woods.
Woods was viewed as as potential top-five pick heading into the 2025 college football season, but he had a down year, causing his draft stock to plummet.
Peter Woods. Credit: Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK.Some mock drafts have the 21-year-old slipping all the way into the early stages of Day 2, and some feel he could be on the board when New York makes its second-round pick.
If the Giants feel Woods — with whom they met at the Scouting Combine — will be available at No. 37, they can happily wait and take him there. But if not, then moving down from No. 10 and nabbing Woods a bit later in the first round is an option.
Woods' numbers from 2025 are not overly impressive. He registered 30 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks this past year. However, he was a dominant force in 2024, and if you watch his tape, you'll see the potential.
The Alabaster, Al. native is an explosive force as a pass rusher, and while his run defense could stand to improve, the ability to blow up plays in the backfield is there.
Woods does not have elite size at 6-foot-3, 298 pounds, which means he could be more of a 3-tech than a traditional defensive tackle. But that's okay. That's where New York signing someone like Campbell or Reader comes into play.
Plus, Woods did play closer to 320 in 2024, so he definitely has the ability to add that weight back to his frame.
Woods is part of a deep defensive tackle draft class that also includes names like Caleb Banks, Lee Hunter, Kayden McDonald and Christen Miller, but Woods may have the highest ceiling of the bunch.
The Giants should absolutely be zeroing in on the Clemson product as the draft inches closer and closer.
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