3 questions about the Clemson Football defensive ends this spring

Will Peter Woods be as effective at defensive end as he was at tackle in 2023?

Peter Woods was going to be a starter at defensive tackle, but Dabo Swinney confirmed in his first spring news conference that both Woods and Caden Story would be moving to defensive end.

Woods has drawn plenty of comparisons to Christian Wilkins, who played defensive end as a sophomore. Some fans have been excited about the possibility that Woods could push outside and play defensive end this season.

I am not one of those fans. I wanted Woods at defensive tackle, but I don’t make those decisions.

There are some similarities to 2016 when Wilkins played end. The Tigers had enough depth at tackle that they would be fine. Assuming health, the Tigers are three-deep on tackles in 2024 who have demonstrated that they are capable.

We often hear people say the staff wants to put the five best offensive linemen on the field, regardless of ideal position. I suspect Swinney, Rumph and Nick Eason treated this situation the same way. The best defensive line was with Woods at defensive end.

Next: Will the Tigers have any functional depth at defensive end?