Incoming Pitt Safety Cole Woodson Talks Senior Progress

Cole Woodson's personal best in the 100 meters sat well below the 11-second mark when his verbal commitment to the Pitt Panthers turned into an official college selection in the winter.

However, this offseason, the incoming June-entry safety out of Haymarket (Va.) Battlefield High School has achieved tangible athletic and physical enhancements.

That's where the conversation started between Inside the Panthers On SI and Woodson on Monday.

I noticed you clocked a 10.4 in the 100 meters not long ago. That's significant. Was that a time you figured was attainable this year or did you surprise yourself?

“Yeah, it was 10.44. I mean, yeah, my goal coming in this track season was 10.4, 10.3. So, I ran 10.44.

“That was windy, but then the next week, I ran 10.50 wind-legal in the finals. So, that was definitely in my ballpark of what I wanted to run this year. So, I knew I had that in me, so it's good.”

New PR in the 100m
10.44‼️@ 6’1 205 lbs (Lane 5) pic.twitter.com/iKBfU0u0wb
— Cole Woodson (@ColeWoodson2) March 29, 2025

You have an ideal combination of size and speed in the defensive backfield, possibly opening up multiple position fits. Where do you see yourself fitting best?

“As of right now, I would say safety. (Coach Corey) Sanders says that they're playing left and right (safety roles)…’cause we have guys in that room right now that can play both free and strong (safety).

“So, I would say I’m definitely versatile. I played corner my sophomore year and then switched to safety my junior and senior year, but in the nickel, I could probably play that, too.

“With the speed, it really helps, and my size, I’m between 205 and 207. There's not many other DB’s running my time, with my speed at that size and height, so that really helps me stand out.”

That's good size you've added. Last I heard, you were in the 190 range. It sounds like you put on quality strength, is that right?

“I played at 195 my senior year, but I'm running at 205-plus right now. So, yeah, I’m up there, but I moved well with it.”

Was balancing strength and size gain while increasing speed a goal for you this off-season?

“I don't know if he's called a speed trainer, but my track guy, we do a lot. We lift as well. We do explosive upper-body stuff, so we're getting faster as well, and we do all the track stuff but also some of the lifts that help me keep my strength ‘cause he knows I'm football first. I’m playing football but speed is really important.

“So, yeah, I've just been doing all types of different training and stuff to help me get faster and stay strong.”

Thank you @Pitt_FB for a great OV! #H2P @CoachDuzzPittFB @coachcsanders @BatesBacker @PghSportsNow pic.twitter.com/TKusuLIzZl
— Cole Woodson (@ColeWoodson2) June 17, 2024

Can you tell me more about your athletic background?

“I was a swimmer. I had two older brothers, so we all swam. That was my first main sport. We played soccer when we were really young, but I swam competitively between eight to 12. I was a Junior Olympian, so we were pretty good.

“We swam for a while, then my first year of tackle football was ninth grade. So, I’d never played tackle football until ninth grade. I played a little flag (for) one or two years when I was like 13, 14.

“I was going to play (tackle football in) eighth grade, but COVID happened, so ninth grade was my first year I could do that, and I just kind of fell in love with the game.”

All in all, how are you feeling about heading to Pitt for enrollment in just a few weeks from now? How are you feeling about that decision?

“My oldest brother, he’s at VT playing, so going through the process was a little bit different for me because I've been through it before with him and knew what to look for and stuff.

“Coach Sanders really just came off as (someone who had) a lot of knowledge, him and Coach (Archie) Collins, and Coach (Pat) Narduzzi being a head coach for a while, that's just a lot of years of experience there. I just thought that was important for me.

“Coaches can change, but I thought what they did with the DBs, specifically, and with their track record with defensive backs, it was just something that really, really appealed to me. That was a really big selling point with Pittsburgh with me.”

Duke, James Madison, Minnesota, Syracuse, Temple, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, and West Virginia represented Woodson's additional college options last recruiting cycle.

In the end, as he explained, Pitt's credibility at his position, specifically, was impossible to overlook.

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