At this early point of the process, there is one “dude” in this class on the defensive side of the ball who has stood out. While we could end up seeing one or two cornerbacks break into the top shelf tier (a far cry from what we saw in the 2025 Draft), the group of defensive linemen appears to be strong again. The alpha of the group could end up being Woods, a junior that just turned 20 years old in March. The five star recruit was a four-time state champion in 7A high Alabama high school football.
Woods immediately put himself on the radar in 2022, earning Freshman All-American honors. He had multiple pressures in six of his final eight games as his usage increased and he adjusted to the speed of the college game. He was shifted to more of a hybrid role in 2024, lining up nearly 50% of his snaps on the outside. While that is not where he best projects at the next level, his level of production only got better and opened doors to any and all schemes in the NFL. There are several ways to skin the cat as a difference making defensive lineman, but there are four basic areas that need to be broken down on a macro level. Let’s take a look at them and assess where Woods stands within them.
- Power
- Size
- Athleticism
- Arsenal
Power: The ability to move the opponent against his will. Woods is a stout, jam-packed 315 pounds who creates a new line of scrimmage consistently. The initial strike can stand a blocker up and he creates tremendous force with both his hands and lower body. When he reaches the ball carrier, it almost looks unfair how easily he gets them to the ground. Unfair and unsafe, for that ball carrier.
Size: A large man’s game, Woods has the mass and girth in the right places to play big. The arm length will be the question when measurements are made in relation to the prototype but we did just see Mason Graham go fifth overall with less-than-ideal 32-inch arms. Some teams care about this more than others but the film does not lie; and the film rarely finds him losing one on one’s because of length.
Athleticism: There is speed, then there’s NFL speed. Woods looks like he is playing at a different rate than everybody in the trenches. He combines foot quickness and agility with a closing gear that is rare at his size. Woods is as fast as he is powerful. Meshing the two together and out comes the “dude” I referenced before.
Arsenal: Talent and traits are near-required to be an elite prospect. Woods has that and the ceiling to be one of the top defensive tackles in the game. The arsenal, or what some refer to as the skill set, is the icing on the cake. Some prospects enter the league more raw than others but when a player also shows the know-how, the projection is much more clear. Woods shows developed technique across multiple facets of playing inside. He is better in the run game right now but we still have another season to watch his pass rush moves and whether or not they are a consistent weapon.
At this time last year, Mason Graham was the defensive tackle we were talking about as we entered summer. He was my sixth overall player over summer. Woods is a similar-styled prospect but he grades out higher then it comes to physical tools. If he can even come close to Graham’s technique and consistency, he has first-non quarterback-drafted vibes.