Jason Priester All Clemson
2023 DL Peter Woods Recaps Clemson Visit, Calls Wes Goodwin 'Brilliant Defensive Mind'
Clemson recently held its annual Elite Junior Day, with some of the top targets in the 2023 recruiting class on hand.
Some of the nation's top defensive linemen were in attendance, including blue-chip prospect, Peter Woods. The SI All-American candidate out of Thompson High in Alabaster, Alabama is not only widely considered one of the five best defensive linemen in the country, but he's also one of the top players in the nation regardless of position.
Woods has been on campus several times since last summer, including visiting last season for the wins over Boston College and Florida State, and the 6-foot-3, 259-pound player told All Clemson there was one thing that really separated Dabo Swinney's program from all of the others.
"The difference between Clemson and a lot of the other places I’ve been to is just the family atmosphere they have created," Woolds said. "Everyone is like family, blood or not, and the culture coach Swinney has set, EVERYONE in the program has bought in."
While Woods has visited on multiple occasions, this last visit was a little different. Since the last time the highly-touted defensive lineman was on campus, Clemson's coaching staff has seen a major overhaul. Brent Venables and Todd Bates, two of the program's best recruiters, are now in Oklahoma, having been replaced by Wes Goodwin and Nick Eason.
Woods was already very familiar with Eason, who came to Clemson from Auburn. However, this was his first time meeting Goodwin, the Tigers' new defensive coordinator.
"Me and coach Eason already had a great relationship prior to him being at Clemson with him recruiting me at Auburn," Woods said. "This was my first time actually meeting and hanging out with coach Goodwin, and in just some of the conversations we had I can tell he’s a brilliant football mind and is going to bring a top-notch defensive philosophy to Clemson."
Late last year, Woods named his six finalists, with Clemson, Florida, Alabama, Oregon, Auburn and Georgia all making the cut. There is no definitive timeline for making a decision at this time, but Woods said it's something he's thought about and he'll know when the time is right.
"I don’t really have a timeline set yet," he said. "I’ve had ideas around when I want to commit, but it’s really just God’s timing."
Right now, the main focus is on finding the right fit, which includes a coaching staff that not only develops him on the field, but can also help him grow off the field.
"I’m looking for a staff who I know will help develop me into the player and man that aspire to be," Woods said.
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