Peter Woods NFL Draft Scouting Report

2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Clemson DL Peter Woods

Peter Woods enters the 2026 NFL Draft as one of the premier defensive linemen in college football and a projected top-five overall pick. At 6’3”, 310 pounds, the Clemson standout combines rare explosiveness, heavy hands, and technical polish, making him one of the most dominant interior defenders. A former five-star recruit, Woods has lived up to expectations since arriving in Death Valley, earning Freshman All-American honors and developing into the top defensive tackle in the country by his junior season.

Despite facing constant double teams, Woods consistently anchored Clemson’s front, displaying elite power, short-area burst, and a relentless motor that make him a disruptive force against both the run and the pass.

Film Summary

Woods’ tape showcases an interior defender who blends violent leverage play with twitchy athleticism. He’s explosive off the snap, uses his hands with technical precision, and resets the line of scrimmage with brute power. As a run defender, Woods’ ability to two-gap, shed, and stack blockers makes him one of the most complete interior players in the class. He plays low and compact, generating torque that overwhelms even the strongest offensive linemen.

As a pass-rusher, Woods thrives on speed-to-power conversion and has refined his hand usage with rip and arm-over counters. While he’s not yet a high-volume sack producer, his disruption rate and ability to collapse the pocket consistently impact opposing quarterbacks. His football IQ and quick processing allow him to read blocking concepts instantly, making him equally valuable as a penetrator or a control-based gap defender.

Ideal Scheme Fit

Woods projects as a scheme-proof interior defender who can dominate from multiple alignments. He’s best suited as a 3-technique in an attacking 4-3 front or as a 2i/4i hybrid in odd fronts that prioritize gap versatility and penetration. Teams like Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Detroit that value explosive, multipurpose defensive linemen would maximize his impact.

Key Strengths

• Elite first-step explosiveness: Quick off the snap with rare burst for his size.

• Power and leverage dominance: Creates immediate displacement with violent hand strikes.

• Technical refinement: Advanced stack-and-shed technique with a developed counter arsenal.

• Football intelligence: Reads and reacts to blocking schemes instantly.

• High motor: Relentless competitor who plays through the whistle.

  
  

Developmental Areas

• Pad-level consistency: Can rise out of stance, diminishing leverage against doubles.

• Length limitations: Shorter arms occasionally restrict reach disengagement.

• Pass-rush sequencing: Still developing a deeper variety of secondary counters.

  
  

Grade and Projection Summary

• Football Scout 365 Grade: Near Elite - A high-caliber, scheme-diverse interior defender with rare power, explosiveness, and technical polish. Woods consistently wins with leverage, hand strength, and first-step quickness, projecting as an immediate impact starter and tone-setter on the defensive line.

• Ceiling Grade: Elite: Franchise-caliber upside — possesses the explosive athleticism, power profile, and block-destruction traits to develop into one of the NFL’s premier interior disruptors.

• NFL Draft Projection: Top 15 Picks (1st Round)

• Pro Comparison: Mason Graham / Jalen Carter hybrid — mirrors Graham’s compact frame, leverage mastery, and short-area torque, while flashing the high-end explosiveness and raw disruption potential reminiscent of Carter at his peak.

Final Analysis

Peter Woods is the prototype of a modern NFL interior disruptor — explosive, technically refined, and relentless. His combination of low center of gravity, violent hands, and rare athletic twitch allows him to consistently win leverage battles and dictate tempo in the trenches. Woods has already proven capable of commanding double teams and anchoring against both the run and pass, and his football IQ makes him plug-and-play ready for any scheme.

He projects as a day-one starter with the potential to become a perennial All-Pro and defensive cornerstone at the next level. Simply put, Woods embodies the traits of a blue-chip prospect — one of the safest, most complete players in the 2026 NFL Draft class.