An NFL Draft Dream Chargers Target Can’t Stop Talking Up Jim Harbaugh

This NFL draft prospect sounds like he wants to hear his name called by Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers.

Jim Harbaugh | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Chargers and general manager Joe Hortiz love to be as secretive as possible around all operations, including the NFL draft. 

So much so, the Chargers are one of the teams that don’t even let a lot of information about their “30” visits leak to the public, if possible. By extension, that means the Chargers don’t even really play the NFL draft smokescreen game that most do, either. 

But Hortiz and the Chargers can’t help what the actual NFL draft prospects have to say in public. 

And one Chargers dream target? He just hit the national interview circuit and talked about just how much he loved meeting Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. 

NFL draft’s Peter Woods loved Chargers visit, Jim Harbaugh

Peter Woods | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Said prospect is Clemson’s Peter Woods, a defensive tackle who hasn’t been a stranger to showing up next to the Chargers in mock drafts throughout the draft process. 

Woods just had an interview with Kay Adams and specifically mentioned Harbaugh and the Chargers as a visit he really enjoyed. 

“I think when I did my meeting with coach Harbaugh,” Woods said, “I think that was cool. Just knowing his college pedigree and everything he did for the sport in general…He’s a great guy. I think one thing that stood out is that he cared about me and my family.”

When people talk about player’s coaches, this is exactly what they mean: Jim Harbaugh. Woods went on for about a minute talking about how the interview with Harbaugh was less about football than his other chats. As he noted, there is plenty of film about what he can do on the field already. Harbaugh was more locked-in on the person and the human side of things. 

Not a bad deal for the Chargers. If Woods thinks this about his meeting, other prospects surely do too. 

Schematically speaking, the Chargers need a player like Woods, too. They got Teair Tart back on a long-term deal, but don’t have much else going on at the interior spot a year removed from losing Poona Ford. 

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compares him to Christian Wilkins while projecting Woods becomes a “plus starter” down the road. Woods is Pro Football Focus’ 33rd overall player: “His explosive first step and ability to convert speed to power make him disruptive at the line of scrimmage. If he expands his pass-rush plan, he can turn pressures into more impactful production.”

So, a fantastic fit for the Chargers in more ways than one. They have multiple ways to get Woods in town, too. Perhaps they would just take him outright at No. 22. Or, he’d be an ideal candidate after a trade back in the first-round order, considering they only have five picks and might want to acquire more. 

Even if Woods doesn’t end up on the Chargers, it's just a little more proof that the Harbaugh effect is very real, even if it isn’t always in front of the cameras and super obvious. 

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