In the Football-Crazed Deep South, 2023 Sooner Target Peter Woods Says 'I Want To Be the Best'
Nothing about Peter Woods would indicate that he just finished his freshman year of high school.
The Alabaster, AL, wunderkind stands 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, and is every bit as articulate as he is imposing. He’s also strong, sharp, fast ... and incredibly ambitious.
“I want to be the best, and the best all around — not just in my class,” Woods said. “I want to be looked up to; I want to be the one that sets the bar. There’s a target on my back that will never allow me to stop working.”
Few would dispute that Woods is already the best in his class, at least among defensive ends. And in fact, College Football Today recently ranked Woods tops among all 2023 prospects, regardless of position.
“One things that sets me apart is the versatility that I have at my size,” Woods said. “I’m not limited to a three-point stance or over the center; I can stand up on the outside. So that’s a big part of my game, the fact that I’m versatile. I think I [also] have very good leadership traits, especially for my age.”
Take one look at Woods’ tape and it’s evident that the hype is well deserved. He earned a starting nod for Thompson High School as a freshman in 2019, and immediately became a terror on the defensive line.
“Somebody that I closely relate my play style to is Khalil Mack, just because he can use his quickness and agility and hands to evade and work through offensive linemen,” says Woods.
There’s a lot of Mack in the way Woods rushes the passer. He’s utterly overpowering, but also extremely refined. As his highlight tape rolls, time and time again he effortlessly glides past his blocker and infiltrates the backfield.
Woods, a lifelong football fan, says it didn’t take him long to realize that he had immense potential.
“I’ve been playing football since I was about five years old,” he said. “It just really all started when my dad would get up and turn on College GameDay and watch all the college games. So I just fell in love with the game from there. And I tried it out, and I started to realize that I was good at it.”
Today, Woods holds offers from programs like Alabama, Auburn, Florida, USC, Georgia and LSU. Raised in the Heart of Dixie, Woods says he’s loyal to the Crimson Tide, but that he’s not leaning toward any particular program despite his allegiances.
“I was always an Alabama fan growing up,” he admitted. “My dad went to Alabama. [But] I really can’t say that any schools stick out — it’s all just courting because I’m so young. We’re just trying to build relationships.”
Oklahoma joined the fray on Thursday, officially extending an offer to Woods. He’s the second defender in the class of 2023 to receive an offer from the Sooners, following inside linebacker Anthony Hill of Denton, TX.
With over 20 FBS offers after a single high school season, Woods is arguably the most coveted recruit in the class of 2023 at this point. It’s a humbling reality for the kid from Alabaster, who credits his roots for molding him into the player that he is.
“It’s all a blessing,” Woods said. “I’m just taking it in one day at a time, trying to stay honest throughout the whole process. Alabama is a huge football state. Just knowing that was always a drive for me, knowing that I had to be great. I always wanted to be the greatest in one of the greatest football states.”
Given what Woods has already attained as a mere freshman, that goal doesn’t seem farfetched in the slightest.
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