Clemson’s coaches have raved about Peter Woods’ potential, but the true freshman defensive tackle is still soaking up everything he can from those around him.
Speaking to the media on Saturday for the first time since joining the Clemson program, Woods discussed how his first several months with the team went.
He said Tyler Davis and Ruke Orhorhoro, both of whom are returning for their fifth seasons, are the two players in the defensive tackles room who have been taking Woods under their wing the most.
“I can’t even say how much I’ve learned from them,” Woods said. “Their effort at just trying to bring me along, being the young guy, and teaching me things that even they might have learned even later in their careers, speaks so much about their humility. I see them as my big brothers, and I just appreciate them.”
In Clemson’s spring game, Woods ran out with the first-team defense and finished with a team-high seven total tackles (one for loss) and a sack.
With his athleticism and 6-foot-2, 300-pound frame, Woods isn’t afraid to cross-train and play on the edge.
“I love my versatility; that’s something I pride myself in. I feel like I can play any position across the line, so why not do it? Given this talent that we have in this room, it might be convenient, or it might not, depending on how I perform overall and just how everything feels,” Woods said.
As far as how the Alabaster, Alabama, native has transitioned from high school to college, the 6-foot-2, 300-pound freshman acknowledged there’s a different level of competition at Clemson.
“Everybody says the speed of the game, and it sounds cliche, but it’s true,” Woods said of the difference. “You’re going against guys that are just as big as you or even better, so the speed of the game is going to be crazy. And just the competition, you’re always working and competing to get better. There’s no playing down to your competition because you’re always up there at a high level.”
With fourth-year defensive tackle Tré Williams expected to miss the early part of fall camp, Woods will have plenty of opportunities to throw his name in the mix for heavy snaps ahead of the Tigers’ season opener on Sept. 4.
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