Clemson defender Peter Woods named No. 1 NFL draft prospect

Peter Woods looks to stay inside mostly and dominate this year.

Brandon Rink - Assoc. Editor / Staff Writer - Thursday, May 01 2025

Peter Woods came to the collegiate game with a 5-star tag that had the expectation he would be go in the NFL draft first round.

Now closer to that reality, one national outlet says he's positioned to be the No. 1 overall prospect for 2026.

Yahoo's assessment has Woods in the top spot in a ranking that also includes teammates T.J. Parker (6), Avieon Terrell (17) and Cade Klubnik (25).

"A monster in the middle. That’s what Woods is. A 6-foot-3, 315-pound interior game wrecker who has the athleticism to play on the outside, too. Woods is a powerful defender with light feet who plays hard and has the ability to impact the run or pass on every down. His top-notch combination of strength and agility would fit in any type of defense. Woods reminds me a lot of Jets star Quinnen Williams," said Yahoo's Nate Tice.

Peter Woods (#11) with an instawin https://t.co/zYsQC6kPuN pic.twitter.com/q6EDqhN1Fq
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) April 28, 2025

An ESPN 2026 NFL prospects overview says D-line is the most stacked position group there.

"Much like the 2025 class, next year's group is very strong along the defensive line. Clemson's stars Woods and Parker could be the best players at their respective positions and get selected in the top-five picks. They join Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami), Keldric Faulk (Auburn), LT Overton (Alabama), Matayo Uiagalelei (Oregon), Patrick Payton (LSU), David Bailey (Texas Tech) and Tim Keenan III (Alabama) as defensive linemen on my preliminary top-32 watch list," ESPN's Matt Miller said.

Adam Rittenberg has Woods and Parker in the contention for being the top non-QB off the board.

"Clemson's defense should bounce back, possibly again reaching elite levels under new coordinator Tom Allen. He inherits talented linemen Peter Woods and T.J. Parker, who will enter the 2025 season as projected high first-round picks. Woods, a powerful defensive tackle, has slimmed down considerably during the offseason. His sack numbers should rise under Allen, who helped Penn State's Abdul Carter become the 2025 No. 3 pick. And Parker had 11.5 sacks and a program-record six forced fumbles last season. He should be one of the top pass rushers on draft boards," Rittenberg said.

Yahoo's assessment on Parker: "A powerful defender who is effective against the run and pass, Parker has strong hands and likes to push the pocket as a pass rusher. He is an explosive athlete who fires off the football and is constantly attacking blockers right after the snap. Clemson’s defense is going to be quite something this year."