Not only did the interior line of the Bears play softer than Dairy Queen ice cream in 2025, but their starting defensive tackles (Gervon Dexter and Grady Jarrett) are free agents at the end of the year. At the bottom of the first round, Chicago gets what could end up being an incredible steal in Clemson defensive lineman Peter Woods.

The 21-year-old is 6’3 and 310 pounds, and was projected as a potential top-10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft before the college season started. In only 391 snaps during the 2024 season, he racked up 32 tackles (8.5 for a loss) and three sacks. He didn’t play poorly in 2025, earning second-team All-American honors; he just didn’t take his game to the next level as some scouts anticipated.

Woods has incredible athleticism for someone his size. He runs a 4.75 forty, and it shows up in his explosive get-off. He has ferocious hands and a great motor. Even though he is somewhat versatile on the line, he is a bit undersized for an edge. He will be playing mostly on the interior, which means he needs to have better gap awareness.