Dabo Swinney and Clemson beat out Nick Saban and Alabama to land an elite prospect from the Crimson Tide’s backyard on Friday night, when Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson five-star defensive lineman Peter Woods announced his commitment to the Tigers.
After he revealed his verbal pledge to Clemson during a commitment ceremony at his high school, Woods spoke about the difference he sees between Swinney and Saban and what ultimately went into his decision to be a part of Swinney’s program.
“Dabo, to me, is a lot more lively,” Woods said, via Chris McCulley of ABC 33/40 News in Birmingham, Ala. “He’s a lot more understanding of teenage life, and he says all the time, he specializes in 18- to 24-year-old men, and I really believe that’s true.”
Woods, who will enroll at Clemson in January, silently committed to the Tigers following the completion of his official visit on June 5.
“I just felt like this was where I needed to be,” Woods told The Clemson Insider in an exclusive interview following Friday night’s announcement. “This is my home. If I leave (without committing), my chest was going to be hurting the whole ride home.”
“I feel like Clemson has everything you need as a player, student, physically, mentally and spiritually,” Woods continued “They just feed you everything you need to be successful for life.”
Woods is the No. 3 defensive lineman and No. 23 overall prospect in the country for the 2023 class, per the 247Sports Composite rankings.
Clemson commit Peter Woods on the difference between Dabo and Nick Saban @abc3340 pic.twitter.com/p40LxKFAAS
— Chris McCulley (@ChrisMcCulleyTV) July 9, 2022
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