Commanders Cut Former Pitt Starting CB

The Washington Commanders cut a former Pitt Panthers starting cornerback.

Nov 16, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers defensive back A.J. Woods (9) warms up before the game against the Boston College Eagles at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The Washington Commanders cut former Pitt Panthers starting cornerback A.J. Woods, according to Ben Standig of The Athletic.

The Commanders are releasing CBs A.J. Woods and Nick Whiteside, per sources.

— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) August 27, 2024

Woods came to Pitt out of Northwest High School in Germantown, Md. 247Sports rated him as a two-star, No. 35 recruit out of Maryland and No. 218 athlete in the Class of 2019, while Rivals rated him as a three-star prospect and No. 21 in his state.

He played in 10 games as a true freshman in 2019, with five kickoff returns and three tackles on kickoff coverage.

Woods would play in all 11 games in the COVID-19 impacted 2020 season, with three starts at cornerback. He made 17 tackles (15 solo), one tackle for loss, one interception and three passes defended.

He played in 13 games in 2021, with one start coming in the Peach Bowl against Michigan State. He helped Pitt win their first ACC Championship that season, making 27 tackles (21 solo), 0.5 tackles for loss, eight passes defended, one forced fumble and an interception in the ACC Championship game against Wake Forest.

Woods played in all 13 games the following season in 2022 and started five games, as he made 28 tackles (19 solo), two tackles for loss, one interception and a career-high 14 passes defended.

He would use his COVID-19 extra year of eligibility in 2023, playing in all 12 games and starting five of them. He had 30 tackles (15 solo), 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception and four passes defended.

Woods spent five seasons with the Panthers from 2019-23, playing in 59 games and starting in 14 contests. He made 102 tackles (69 solo), 7.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, four interceptions, 25 passes defended and one forced fumble in his collegiate career.

He also earned a spot at the East-West Shrine Bowl, a postseason all-star game consisting of seniors across the country.

Woods impressed at the Pitt Pro Day in late March, recording times of 4.35 seconds in the 40-yard dash and 6.56 seconds in the three-cone drill, which would have ranked the fifth fastest and the fastest times at the NFL Combine for a cornerback, respectively.

The Commanders signed him as an undrafted free agent (UDFA) following the 2024 NFL Draft, but chose not to keep him on the 53-man roster. There is always a chance Woods lands on their practice swu

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