The NFL Combine officially takes place in Indianapolis, and if you ask Peter Woods, the league’s scouts don’t need to search hard to gather the highest probability of finding a future prospect who's "pro-ready."
“If you want the best player on your team, for your locker room, for the field, for the culture... it’s a Clemson Tiger,” Woods said of his team on Wednesday.
The projected first-round defensive tackle was one of nine Tigers invited this week to Lucas Oil Stadium, and his draft stock is trending one way: up. With three seasons of destroying ACC backfields — 99 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks, in his career — Woods is selling NFL teams on his versatility and the elite
“Nick Eason-coached” pedigree that has become an integral part of the program. New York and Baltimore “Deep Dives.” Woods has already spoken to 18 groups, and two AFC behemoths appear more intrigued:
The New York Jets:
Currently the No. 2 and No. 16 picks, the Jets spent their Tuesday night meeting putting Woods through a defensive "install" session. Woods called it a “great experience,” focusing on how his disruptive style meshes with their scheme and how he can adjust his game to get him ready for the leap into the pros.
The Baltimore Ravens:
The Ravens pick No. 14, and the Ravens have a well-rehearsed love affair with Clemson defenders (Nate Wiggins, Trenton Simpson). Woods said he talks with Wiggins a lot, in which Woods is impressed by Baltimore’s “coach-them-hard” ethos—a phenomenon Woods says is a perfect reflection of what he felt at the hands of Dabo Swinney and Tom Allen.
Woods hasn’t gotten an official meeting with the New Orleans Saints (No. 8 overall), but the possibility of a reunion with former Tiger Bryan Bresee made him smile.
“That would be kind of a dope world-beating pairing,” Woods said of a possible pairing with Bresee. “He has been a voice for me... telling me what to expect at the next level.”
The main question mark still on the Indy scene is whether Woods will in fact put the cleats on for the on-field drills. Defensive linemen will come on Thursday from 3 to 8 p.m. ET, although Woods has kept from pledging his engagement.
“I don’t know yet,” Woods said. "I might run in my pro day. I may run tomorrow."
Whether he does the 40-yard dash this week or waits for Clemson's Pro Day, the consensus is clear: Woods has already done so much on tape so that he will not wait to hear his name called soon enough in April.