Peter Woods Declares for 2026 NFL Draft, Scouting Report for B/R's No. 9 Prospect

Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods is going to the NFL.

Adie von Gontard, Woods' agent, confirmed to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport that the 20-year-old is declaring for the 2026 draft.

B/R's NFL scouting department has Woods ranked as the best pure defensive lineman and No. 9 overall prospect in the upcoming draft class.

In his official scouting report, B/R's Matt Holder highlighted Woods' ability to defend the run as his biggest selling point so far while pointing out his "combination of power and movement skills to develop into a quality pass-rusher down the line."

Tennessee Titans standout Jeffery Simmons is Woods' pro comparison, per Holder.

The lack of a proven track record as a pass-rusher could be used as a negative against Woods as he is being evaluated by NFL scouts. He has just five sacks in 35 career games over the past three seasons.

Woods did set career-highs with 8.5 tackles for loss and three sacks during the 2024 campaign.

Simmons, just as one reference point, had 32.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks during his three-year run with Mississippi State from 2016 to 2018.

Two big areas that Holder cited for Woods to improve are his pad level off the line of scrimmage because it hurts "the effectiveness of his bull rush" and balance issues coming off blocks or breaking into the backfield that result in missed tackles.

Even with those concerns, Woods' size and strength are an intriguing starter kit that an NFL coaching staff can mold into something potentially special.

The scouting combine and pre-draft workouts will likely be very important for Woods to help solidify his status as a top-10 prospect now that he is officially entering the draft.