Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black were a nice start, but the Pittsburgh Steelers still have work to do to ensure a bright future for their defensive line. That’s why Charles Davis went against the grain of wide receivers and quarterbacks in his latest mock draft with the Steelers selecting Clemson DT Peter Woods.

“There will be plenty of buzz about picking a QB or WR here, but in this iteration, they look to replicate the waves of defensive linemen we’ve seen from Super Bowl-winning teams in recent years,” Davis wrote.

The 6-3, 310-pound Woods would be an odd fit for what the Steelers typically look for along their 3-4 front, but the talent is undeniable. Appearing on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List” at No. 5 last year, Woods is said to be able to do 34 reps on the bench press, squat 700 pounds, and run a 4.86 40-yard dash. The only thing that may hold him back is arm length, but guys like Milton Williams have proven that isn’t always a hindrance in the NFL.

Woods appeared in 35 games in his three seasons at Clemson and had 84 total tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles, and a pass defensed on his way to being a 2025 All-American. He is also one of the youngest players in this class turning 21 in March.

His best fit is at 3-tech, which makes him an odd fit for the Steelers in their base 3-4 defense. But as arguably the best defensive lineman in the draft, Woods would be a bargain at No. 21 overall.

Here’s an excerpt from our scouting report on Woods.

“He has the athletic traits to be a dominant interior lineman in the NFL, owing to his explosiveness and power. If he had finished more plays that he wreaked havoc on, he’d be touted as an unquestioned top 10 selection. Although more of a polished product coming out of school, he has similarities to Javon Hargrave and former Clemson star Grady Jarrett.”

There just aren’t many 315 lbs players who move like Clemson IDL Peter Woods. This was a drive-ending red zone play too pic.twitter.com/SMGSWuyFhd

— Jack Brentnall (@Jack_Brentnall) May 18, 2025

Keeanu Benton, Yahya Black, and Derrick Harmon all fit the mold of a 3-4 DL. With more hybrid fronts than ever in the NFL, it may be a good idea to add a blue-chip talent slightly outside the norm.

An athletic freak with limitless potential like Woods would be the ideal guy to try that with.