The Kansas City Chiefs selected Clemson football defensive tackle Peter Woods in the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23.
Woods was selected No. 29 overall in the first round. He was Clemon's first defensive player taken in this year's draft.
Here's what Woods brings to Kansas City, based on our own observations from his tenure at Clemson:
The 6-foot-3 defensive tackle, who weighs 298 pounds, spent three seasons at Clemson. Woods departed early because of his mix of size and freakish athleticism.
He can beat defenders with a bull rush, chase down ball carriers against the run and get out of double teams. He was often double- and triple-teamed in his final season at Clemson, which contributed to his lack of gaudy stats, but also struggled with consistency.
Woods split time at defensive end in 2024 but is more natural and impactful at defensive tackle. He logged a career-high 30 tackles, including two sacks, and one pass deflection in 2025 to earn first-team All-ACC honors and became Clemson’s first All-American at defensive tackle since Christian Wilkins in 2018
Entering 2025, he was a projected top-10 selection because of his power and awareness, but consistency issues caused him to drop in projections. Still, he has Pro Bowl-caliber upside in the NFL.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at DCarter@usatodayco.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Kansas City Chiefs pick Clemson's Peter Woods in 2026 NFL Draft
