Cleveland Browns NFL Draft Profile: DT Peter Woods, Clemson

CLEMSON, SC - NOVEMBER 01: Clemson Tigers defensive lineman Peter Woods (11) during a college football game between the Duke Blue Devils and the Clemson Tigers on November 1, 2025 at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Cleveland Browns do not have much that other teams might covet, but there are a few bright spots along the roster.

One of the more prominent units is the defensive line, led by the game’s best defensive player, Myles Garrett.

While Garrett garners most of the attention, general manager Andrew Berry has done a respectable job building out the rest of the line, most notably at defensive tackle with Mason Graham, last year’s first-round selection, and veteran Maliek Collins.

Berry added Kalia Davis in free agency, a move that has gone under the radar but may turn out to be a solid one, but the rest of the unit is still a bit sketchy.

While it is probably a luxury the Browns cannot afford, if Berry wants to add to the unit, keep an eye on Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods.

Name: Peter Woods

Position: Defensive Tackle

Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 298 pounds

College: Clemson Tigers

2025 Defensive Stats: 12 games, 30 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 0 forced fumbles

Career Defensive Stats: 35 games, 84 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles

Average “Big Board” Position as of Publishing Date from Mock Draft Database: 28th overall, projected first round

The Draft Network’s Grade/Round Value: Round 1 – Pro Bowl Caliber

What an Expert is Saying

Lance Zierlein at NFL.com:

Woods is a young interior defender with room to add play strength as he fills out his frame. He’s not a pure one- or two-gap fit, but he’s capable in both schemes. He plays with good lower-body explosiveness into initial contact, keeping his hands and feet synced to work around blocks when needed. He’s more of an active brawler than a double-team eating tree stump. Shorter arms allow blockers to crowd his frame and force him to fight harder at the point. Yet, his ability to overtake and win as the rep progresses is impressive. He lacks quick-win talent as a solo rusher, but he’s fully functional as part of a pocket-collapsing collective. His 2024 tape might be a better representation of his upside, but Woods clearly has the potential to become a solid starter in an even front.

What an Expert is Saying (Bonus Round):

Dane Brugler at The Athletic:

A two-and-a-half-year starter at Clemson, Woods shuffled up and down the line in defensive coordinator Tom Allen’s four-man front. After earning Freshman All-American honors in 2023, he received All-ACC honors in each of the last two seasons. He was tabbed as a potential top-five draft pick entering his junior season, but he struggled to match that hype in 2025, posting up-and-down tape and poor production (14 pressures, 3.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks over 12 games).

Draft projections for Woods will depend on a team’s willingness to grade to his flashes. He moves with big-man twitch and has the foot quickness to elude blocks in tight quarters. However, for a player with his explosive traits, he doesn’t have many quick wins on his tape and needs to learn how to diversify his rush approach. But he consistently saw four hands from blockers each snap and produced enough splash plays to believe he will be a more stable player in the future.

Woods flashes the ability to win with quickness, strength, and hand usage — and the next step in his development is for him to do so more consistently. He offers scheme diversity, although he projects best as a three-/4i-technique DT.

Fit with the Browns

The Browns signed Kalia Davis in free agency, so they may be comfortable with the defensive tackle position this year, especially if Maliek Collins is good to go after an injury ended his 2025 season prematurely.

But the depth at the position is weak, so adding a player like Woods, who can be part of the rotation and potentially move into a more prominent role in 2027, might be of interest. But they would have to buy in that Woods can develop beyond the flash plays on his tape. Betting on a player like that in the first round with so many other holes to fill feels like a luxury that Berry cannot afford right now.

Browns Player Drafting Could Impact

Mason Graham is set, and the Browns just signed Kalia Davis in free agency, so he should be comfortable as well. Maliek Collins was name-checked by owner Jimmy Haslam in the offseason, so he should be OK, but he is the old man of the group, so you never know.

That would leave Mike Hall Jr., who has done little in his two years with the Browns, and Sam Kamara as the potential odd men out.

Priority: Low

What are your thoughts on Peter Woods? Should the Browns select a defensive tackle for the second year in a row? Let us know in the comments!