Former Clemson DT Peter Woods Receives Bold Take Ahead of 2026 Season

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The Clemson Tigers will see former star defensive tackle Peter Woods line up in his rookie season for the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Woods had an impressive career at Clemson, but a down year in 2025 saw him slip to the late first round as the Chiefs selected him with the 29th overall pick.

"You got Peter Woods, who I think might be their best pick in the draft at 29," Chiefs writer for ESPN Nate Taylor said on the Pat McAfee Show.

Woods will be a key piece on the defensive line in his rookie season for the Chiefs, playing alongside former All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones.

Woods has the potential to become an elite defensive tackle in the NFL. In his freshman season in 2023, Woods finished with 26 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble.

His breakout campaign came in 2024, as he had 28 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, and a forced fumble. Woods was a major disruptor on the Tigers' defensive line as they made it to the College Football Playoff.

The 21-year-old didn't play up to that level in 2025, finishing with 30 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and a pass deflection.

He was one of many players at Clemson who had a down year, as the team failed to make the ACC Title Game or the College Football Playoff with a 7-6 record. That led to a ton of changes made by Dabo Swinney as nine Tigers were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Swinney added 10 players in the transfer portal, including nine defensive players, to help replenish the talent lost, including Woods, TJ Parker, and Avieon Terrell. There were also changes made to the coaching staff as Swinney hired Chad Morris as the offensive coordinator and Rich Bisaccia as the special teams coordinator.

With all of the changes made, Swinney will look to lead Clemson back to being one of the top college football programs in the country. However, with players like Woods off to the NFL, it could be another challenging season for the Tigers.

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