We continue our 2026 NFL Draft preview of draft prospects that could interest the Dallas Cowboys. Today we are looking at Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods
Peter Woods
DT
Clemson
Junior
4-star recruit
6’3”
315 lbs
History
As a freshman in 2023, Woods played right away in the defensive line rotation and flashed disruptive traits from the outset. In 12 games, he registered 26 tackles, 2.5 TFL, and a forced fumble. The bigger standout point from that season was the recognition of being named Freshman All-America after
he led all Clemson defensive tackles in quarterback pressures as a true freshman.
In 2024, he took the leap and also showed real alignment versatility, splitting time between defensive tackle and defensive end. He finished with 28 tackles, 8.5 TFL, three sacks, and a forced fumble in 11 games. His big moment came versus the number one ranked team, Georgia, where he made six tackles, 2.5 TFL and made his first career sack. For the rest of the season he became a weekly disruption piece while moving around the front.
In 2025, he became one of the most unusual impact defensive tackles in the sport because Clemson used him as both a defensive starter and a short-yardage offensive weapon. Defensively, he made 30 tackles, 3.5 TFL, two sacks, and a pass breakup in 12 games. Offensively, he carried the ball eight times for 15 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns. He won ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week after a Boston College game where he recorded a sack plus a rushing touchdown, and later did it again, making him a rare multi-game two-way sack and rushing touchdown player.
2025 Statistics
562 Defensive Snaps
14 Total Pressures
2 QB Hits
30 Total Tackles
3.5 TFL
2 Sack
1 PBU
0 Penalties
Snap by Postion
A-Gap- 9%
B-Gap- 76%
C-Gap- 9%
OLB- 2%
NFL Combine/Pro Day
Awards
2025: Third-Team All-SEC
2023: SEC All-Freshman Team
Scorecard
Overall– 88.4
Speed- 86
Acceleration- 83
Agility- 72
Strength- 93
Tackling- 61
Run Defense- 87
Pass Rush- 69
Coverage- 66
Discipline- 99
THE GOOD
- Explosive first step and get-off for an interior defender.
- Consistently threatens to win the gap before blockers are set.
- Violent, active hands that help him shed quickly and create immediate disruption.
- Elite speed-to-power conversion.
- Can push guards, walk them back, and collapse the pocket when he lands first contact.
- Penetration ability as a one-gap 3-tech and beats reach blocks, and creates tackles for loss without needing a free run.
- Alignment versatility.
- Good lateral mobility and range for his size.
- Flashes legitimate pass-rush upside from the interior.
- Competitive motor and plays through contact, keeps working on extended reps.
- Knifes into the backfield and forces early cuts and redirects even when he doesn’t get the tackle himself.
THE BAD
- Arm length and overall length is below the prototype for an NFL interior difference-maker.
- Down-to-down consistency is an issue.
- Pass-rush plan is in need of work.
- When the first move stalls, he can run out of answers and get stuck on blocks.
- Gap discipline is a concern and he can be a gambler who will undercut blocks and shoot.
THE FIT
Woods’ best NFL fit is as an attacking, upfield interior defender in a one-gap front, ideally a 4-3 that lets him play primarily as a 3-technique where his first-step explosiveness, quick hands, and power can win gaps and compress the pocket rather than asking him to read and stack as a two-gap nose.
SUMMARY
Peter Woods is a high-upside interior disruptor with rare movement skills for his size as an explosive, quick-handed lineman who can win early with get-off, shoot gaps as a one-gap penetrator, and convert speed to power to push the pocket from inside. Clemson used him all over the front, but his NFL value is best captured as a 3-tech/4i who stresses guards with first-step quickness, violent hands, and the ability to cross a face and finish in the backfield. He also flashes strong effort and range for an interior defender. His main improvement point is down-to-down consistency. He can be neutralized when teams slide protection and lean on him with combo blocks, so refining his hand placement, counters, and play strength through contact is key to turning his disruptive flashes into weekly dominance.
Overall, he projects as an early NFL starter in an attacking front with legitimate Pro Bowl ceiling if his double-team answers and rush plan continue to mature.
PRO COMPARISON
Javon Hargrave
BTB OVERALL RANKING
16th
CONSENSUS OVERALL RANKING
18th
(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scoring services, including BTB)
