When it comes to rules, there are almost always exceptions. And Peter Woods is one of them.

Clemson’s five-star defensive lineman has been all the rage this spring when it comes to the Tigers’ incoming freshmen. That continued Wednesday when head coach Dabo Swinney noted that most newcomers naturally have deficiencies they have to overcome early in their college careers due to their youth and inexperience.

Asked following the Tigers’ second spring scrimmage if Woods has any that he’s working through as an early enrollee, all Swinney could come up with one that Woods can’t do anything about for the time being.

“He’s not a complete, finished version of himself, but as far as just a deficiency or something that he’s lacking, it’s really just game experience at this level,” Swinney said.

When it comes to the mental and physical facets of the game, though, “he ain’t got none,” Swinney said.

Woods has generated palpable buzz throughout the spring after signing with the Tigers in December out of Thompson (Alabama) High. Perhaps the most impressive quality to Woods’ game, at least according to his teammates, is the 6-foot-2, 300-pounder’s brute strength up front. His position coach, defensive tackles coach Nick Eason, has been working with him for just four weeks and has already said he believes Woods has the makeup to be one of the best defensive linemen to ever don the purple and orange.

“The hype is real,” safety Andrew Mukuba said.

Clemson has tried to test Woods by repping him at both tackle and end with the first, second and third teams during the spring, but “he’s not been overwhelmed,” Swinney said. Yet there’s more than just Woods’ physical attributes that have him in line to be a significant contributor come the fall.

“He’s demonstrated he can learn the playbook,” Swinney said. “He gets it fundamentally, he gets it technically, he understands, and he’s got the aptitude for it.”

The only thing left to do is see how Woods performs in a college game. He will get a test run on April 15 when Clemson plays its spring game inside Memorial Stadium, which Swinney is hoping will help prepare Woods for the atmospheres he’ll be playing in on Saturdays this fall.

“That’s why we need to fill this place up,” Swinney said. “Let’s get Peter Woods ready to go. Get out here and yell at him, boo him or whatever. But that’s about it (as far as deficiencies). I know that’s a lot on a young kid, but he’s earned it.”

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