Feb. 24, 2026, 4:45 a.m. PT
The San Francisco 49ers added three defensive linemen in the 2025 NFL draft, taking Mykel Williams (who can play inside and outside) in the first round, Alfred Collins in the second and C.J. West in the fourth.
However, with veterans Jordan Elliott and Kevin Givens both hitting the market and Kalia Davis expected to be a restricted free agent, San Francisco could use more help along the defensive line.
Knowing that, Underdog Fantasy’s Hayden Winks recently projected that the 49ers will take Clemson’s Peter Woods in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft.
“Woods falls into the bucket of an explosive, pound-for-pound strong 3-technique,” Winks wrote. “His best reps include him knifing through gaps for disruption or occasionally throwing a lineman to the ground with violence. The reason he’s not viewed as a top-10 pick anymore is the other reps where he stalls out because he lacks length. Woods, who is 22nd in consensus rankings, won’t be for everyone, but the Niners historically have valued some pop here.”
Woods, 20, was a four-star prospect out of Thompson High School in Alabaster, Alabama, before committing to Clemson for the 2023 season. Over the last three years, he’s appeared in 35 games, recording 84 tackles, five sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass defensed. He also earned all ACC honors for his performance in 2025.
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At the moment, Collins, West, Evan Anderson and Sebastian Valdez are the only interior defensive linemen on the roster. Woods could come in and be a legitimate contributor to the group in his first year if they don’t add a veteran.
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