Kansas City Chiefs Select Peter Woods in 1st Round of NFL Draft

CLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA - MARCH 12: Peter Woods #11 of the Clemson Tigers runs during 40 - yard dash at Pro Day at Allen N. Reeves Football Complex on March 12, 2026 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Katie DeVaney/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It took a bit to get there, but Peter Woods is a first round pick. The Clemson Tiger defensive tackle will be heading to Kansas City to try and help stabilize the Chiefs dynasty. The Chiefs selected Woods with the 29th pick in the first round, making him the second player to be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, behind OL Blake Miller who went to the Detroit Lions.

An Alabama native, many expected Woods to head to the Crimson Tide under Nick Saban. But Dabo worked his magic to snake woods out of Alabama, one of many recruits he was able to turn. After arriving on campus Woods made a splash along the defensive line for Clemson. Though he wasn’t a starter, he was a disruptive force in 2023 before exploding in his sophomore year. His 2024 play put him at the top of 2026 draft boards, with some speculating he could be a top 5 pick. Unfortunately his 2025 season didn’t match expectations. Woods did not have the production everyone expected. Some of that was a function of his assignment as a 2 gap player, but many of us saw some missing effort. Plays weren’t finished, or lazy tackling.

The good news is in Kansas City Woods will have an excellent coaching staff and culture to learn from. Expectations are high with this dynasty, and he will be forced to learn and execute. It is an opportunity for Woods to show what he can do at his best. And with Chiefs he won’t be forced to do it all. He will be another cog in the team, possibly as depth at first until he gets comfortable with the Chiefs. But he will have an opportunity to compete for a starting role alongside Chris Jones. Definitely an intriguing opportunity here.