Peter Woods Commits to Clemson, Giving Dabo Swinney Big Recruiting Win Over Alabama

Clemson has secured a commitment from 2023 DL Peter Woods as the Tigers beat out Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide for one of the top players in the state of Alabama.

Jason Priester All Clemson

Some wins are bigger than others. 

2023 DL Peter Woods announced a commitment to Clemson on Friday, giving Dabo Swinney and the Tigers a major recruiting victory over Nick Saban and Alabama. Florida and Jackson State were also finalists, but make no mistake, this was a Clemson and Alabama battle.

The 6-foot-3, 270-pound SI All-American candidate, out of Thompson High, in Alabaster, Alabama, is not only one of the best defensive linemen in the country, but he is also one of the top overall talents in the 2023 class and he's long been a priority target for the Tigers.

With Woods residing about an hour away from Tuscaloosa and growing up a fan of the Crimson Tide, many thought this was a battle the Tigers would not win. However, the culture and family-like feel inside the Clemson program really resonated with Woods, and in the end, it was enough to pull the elite-level talent out of his home state.

"The difference between Clemson and a lot of the other places I’ve been to is just the family atmosphere they have created," Woolds told All Clemson after a visit earlier this year. "Everyone is like family, blood or not, and the culture coach Swinney has set, EVERYONE in the program has bought in."

Woods, the third DT to announce a verbal pledge in the recruiting cycle, is another big get for first-year assistant Nick Eason. He joins DTs Vic Burley and Stephiylan Green, who both committed last month. All three blue-chip prospects were on hand for the big official visit weekend in early June. His addition now gives Clemson 17 total commitments in the 2023 cycle and only strengthens what is already generally considered a Top-5 recruiting class.

All Clemson's Take: Huge recruiting win for Swinney and Clemson. The instances of Saban not getting a defensive lineman of this caliber out of that state are few and far between. With so many departures expected along the defensive line after the season, the Tigers needed some players capable of coming in and contributing immediately and Woods is absolutely that kind of guy. He's explosive, twitchy and gets off the line as good as any defensive linemen in the class. Also extremely athletic and versatile. He can play inside or outside and has the potential to develop into a high-round NFL Draft pick.

The Tigers, who went 10-3 in 2021 and finished 14th in the final Associated Press Poll, are the fourth team on FanDuel Sportsbook's list to win it all in 2022.

Want to join in on the discussion? 100% FREE! Interact with fellow Tiger fans and hear directly from publisher Zach Lentz, deputy editor Brad Senkiw, recruiting analyst Jason Priester and staff writer Will Vandervort on any subject. Click here to become a member of the ALL CLEMSON message board community today!