Carolina Panthers Cannot Afford to Draft Clemson IDL Peter Woods

The NFL draft is now less than 50 days away, and with the scouting combine still fresh on everyone’s mind, there’s still more and more intel coming out about different prospects.

Whether it's how they interviewed, how much a player’s stock has risen, or, in some cases, whether scouts are divided on where a player should be drafted, this applies to Clemson defensive lineman Peter Woods. This makes the idea of the Carolina Panthers drafting Woods less enticing than it may have been before the scouting combine.

Talking to scouts post-Combine, the biggest variance in player value I've heard is on Clemson DT Peter Woods. Some see him top 15. Others see him solidly Day 2.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) March 6, 2026

In almost any mock draft someone finds, Woods is projected as a first-round pick, even being projected to Carolina in some, and there’s a case to be made for it.

He’s really athletic for his 6’2, 298-pound frame and has been seen as someone with really high upside, but even so, there are some scouts who don’t see him as a first-round talent.

Potential Reasons Scouts are Split On Peter Woods

Peter Woods at Clemso — Clemson defensive lineman Peter Woods (11) during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. Saturday, September 6, 2025. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Combine Related Reasons

There are multiple reasons a player could have mixed reviews on him from scouts post-combine. For Woods, it’d have to be either his interviews or something about his measurements that left scouts divided on him.

Peter Woods speaks to the media at the #NFLCombine

pic.twitter.com/VXZ0FR0UF2
— #ClemsonNFL (@ClemsonPros) February 27, 2026

Woods didn’t participate in on-field workouts at the combine, as he elected to work out at Clemson’s pro-day on March 12th. Woods did take the podium at the combine and did interview with the Carolina Panthers there as well.

His Lack of Production at Clemson

Woods, as a prospect, has been looked at as a player who’s really athletic and has physical traits that other IDL don’t have, but at Clemson, his production didn’t match the physical freak type of scouting report.

In 2025, he recorded just nine solo tackles in 10 games played, and just two sacks on the year as well, its pedestrian numbers for a prospect who does clearly have talent, so maybe scouts are wary on that aspect of his prospect profile.

Wood did have a really solid 2024, with 18 solo tackles and three sacks, but even with more tackles, the lack of sack production could be a red flag for some organizations, and a major red flag to Panthers GM Dan Morgan.

Peter Woods (#11) with an instawin https://t.co/zYsQC6kPuN pic.twitter.com/q6EDqhN1Fq
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) April 28, 2025

Why Carolina Shouldn't Draft Peter Woods

Dan Morgan at NFL Combine — Feb 27, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Carolina Panthers President of Football Operations/General Manager Dan Morgan talks to the media at the 2024 NFL Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Carolina's most glaring weakness was getting pressure on opposing QBs, and Peter Woods' inability to consistently find pressure in college could be the deciding factor in why Dan Morgan wouldn't draft him.

There are other defensive linemen and edge rushers who better fit the Panthers' needs, and while Woods does have a ton of ability, Carolina doesn't have time to take a chance on potential; the Panthers need production.