Following Todd Bates’ surprise departure to Oklahoma, The Clemson Insider reached out to a highly-touted defensive lineman in the 2023 recruiting class, to get his reaction.
Just last week, Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson five-star defensive lineman Peter Woods named Clemson one of his top six schools via social media, along with Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia and Oregon.
He made clear to TCI on Tuesday that Bates’ departure does not affect his recruitment and his interest in Clemson.
“Coach Bates leaving Clemson doesn’t change the way I view the program, the school itself, or the rest of the staff,” Woods said in a text message exchange.
It’s clear that what put Clemson in his final six schools goes beyond that of Bates and even Brent Venables.
“As far as their success, their resume speaks for itself,” Woods said to TCI this past summer regarding his interest in Clemson’s program. “It’s as winning as it gets. With that being said, they develop players very well. Three-, four-, five-star recruits turn into NFL Draft picks, first-rounders. So, I know that their coaching lifestyle really rubs off on their players.”
Woods (6-3, 260) is ranked as the No. 4 defensive lineman and No. 23 overall prospect in the country for the 2023 class, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.
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