Five-star DL says stadium was rocking during Clemson visit

Woods walks onto the field before Saturday's game.

by Jake Pierce - Recruiting Reporter - Tue Oct 05 13:03:06 GMT-05:00 2021

Clemson hosted a top-20 prospect in the 2023 class on Saturday, and the 5-star left with a return trip planned for later this month.

Alabaster (AL) Thompson defensive lineman Peter Woods was in attendance for Clemson’s 19-13 win over Boston College, with his initial visit coming in early June after picking up the Clemson offer June 1st. The 5-star is currently the No. 17 player overall and the No. 4 defensive lineman in the 247Sports Composite rankings and one of Clemson’s primary targets in the ’23 class. Impressed on the visit, Woods plans to be back on campus for Clemson’s October 30th matchup with Florida State.

Members of the Clemson defensive staff made a trip to Alabama to see Woods in action on September 17th, and Woods turned in a dominant performance while showcasing a pair of Clemson gloves during the game. Woods’ ability to impact the game from tackle and end have been a major reason why he has pulled in over 30 offers, and defensive tackles coach Todd Bates is making sure that Woods feels like a priority piece for the ’23 defense.

Woods was impressed by the Clemson defensive performance, and his conversation with Bates prior to the game had Woods prepared to contribute on the field that day.

“Defense played good like always! Hard to find a weakness in it unless they make mistakes,” Woods told TigerNet of his thoughts on Clemson’s defensive performance. “They had a lot to say to me about what I was going to see in the game. Coach Bates broke down some of the offensive linemen they were about to play. It was almost like I was about to play.”

Woods’ recruitment is being led by Bates, who has built a strong bond with the Alabama native.

“I can tell he genuinely cares about the man I become and not just the player,” he said. “He makes sure we talk every day. We have a strong relationship.”

Woods took notice of the electric environment in Death Valley on Saturday night and had the chance to witness Clemson run down the Hill up close.

“At the top of the Hill by the Rock is probably the best college football tradition I’ve ever witnessed,” Woods said. “The stadium was rocking!”

As Woods starts to focus in on his potential future schools, the relationships that he is building will be the biggest factor in his future decision.

“The No. 1 thing for me is relationships,” he said. “I want to feel comfortable with and trust the coaches and players. And I want to be close with the recruits. Because the team I’m on now, our chemistry is our biggest weapon.”