From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Clemson linebacker/safety hybrid Wade Woodaz.
NO. 17 WADE WOODAZ/LB/S/CLEMSON– 6033, 234 POUNDS (SENIOR)
MEASUREMENTS
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Wade Woodaz 6033/234 10 32 5/8 N/A
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
4.52 1.55 4.50 7.27
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
9’9″ DNP DNP
THE GOOD
-Ideal build with good size and length for the position
-Length shows up as a tackler; makes consistent play outside of frame as a tackler
-Displays good sideline-to-sideline range on tape with sound instincts against the run
-Flashes serviceable ball skills in coverage; couple of plays made outside of his frame on the football
-Diagnoses quickly and flows to the football; disciplined player that won’t be fooled
-Comfortable playing man or zone coverage; gains good depth in zone drops and reads quarterbacks well
-Underrated, underutilized pass rusher with good bend and pursuit
-Brings special teams abilities to the table; plays with motor that runs hot snap after snap
THE BAD
-Must add play strength to his frame; struggles to work off blocks against the run, and can be overwhelmed
-Doesn’t provide much hit power as a tackler; gets job done, but not much power there
-Athleticism doesn’t always show up snap to snap; looks to be unsure of himself at times
-Tends to play too high against the run, allowing linemen to climb and control
-Will get lost in zone coverage when plays are extended by QB; inconsistent with plaster technique
-A ‘tweener; not fast enough to be a full-time safety, not strong enough to live in the box as a three-down LB
STATS
-2025 stats: 70 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, 0.5 sack, three pass breakups in 12 games
-Appeared in 51 career games across four seasons at Clemson: 201 tackles, 28.5 tackles for loss, 9.0 sacks, three interceptions, 11 pass breakups, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one touchdown
-Named third-team All-ACC in 2025
-Three-time All-ACC Academic team with the Tigers
-Was one of just six players nationally in 2024 to have 75 or more tackles, three or more forced fumbles and an interception
INJURY HISTORY
-Suffered leg injury in 2024 that caused him to miss games against Pitt and The Citadel
-Shoulder injury ended his 2025 season, causing him to miss Pinstripe Bowl and leading to surgery
BACKGROUND
-Born February 5, 2004
-Team captain in high school who led Tampa’s Jesuit to No. 11 ranking in the country in final season
-Led Jesuit to state title, marking first state title in school history since 1968
-Former 3-star recruit that chose Clemson over Utah, Iowa, West Virginia, TCU, Miami (FL) and more
-Voted team captain in 2025 at Clemson
-Brother, Drew, is a linebacker at Clemson; sister, Haley, plays soccer at Jacksonville State
-Graduated from Clemson in December 2025 with a degree in marketing
-Combine invite
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Entering the 2025 season, Clemson LB/S hybrid Wade Woodaz was a name I had circled for the 2026 NFL Draft due to his athleticism and production in 2024 for the Tigers. He profiled as a new-age defender that brings great versatility and can line up anywhere on the field.
I was expecting a big leap forward in 2025. It never happened. He was still very productive for the Tigers last season, putting up 70 tackles and seven tackles for loss. But he didn’t create the splash that many were looking for, nor did he elevate his game to another level.
Still, he’s an intriguing talent due to his athleticism, size, and ability to line up all over the field.
Woodaz brings good range and speed to the table at linebacker. He can flow sideline to sideline, and his length allows him to make some plays as a tackler outside of his frame.
Florida State’s Tommy Castellanos is a speedster at quarterback, but Woodaz diagnosed this read-option quickly and turned on the jets to track down the quarterback before he could turn the corner.
The range is Woodaz’s calling card. He can fly around and make plays in space time and time again.
Here against South Carolina, the Gamecocks tried to get their running back out in space on a swing route with a blocker in front. But Woodaz was able to track it downfield inside, showing blitz and then sprinting to the flat to make the stop and force a punt early in the game.
I didn’t see Woodaz miss many tackles on tape, either.
He’s at his best when he is kept clean and can read and react. He diagnoses quickly against the run and doesn’t allow himself to get caught up in any of the eye candy.
Woodaz will see the ball and attack downhill. He’s not going to pack a punch at the point of contact, but he gets the job done as a tackler, and that’s all that matters.
What intrigued me over the last two years was his role as a pass rusher when Clemson called on him to blitz or come off the edge.
He’s very raw in that area of his game, but he’s an athlete and figures it out. Great rep here against Virginia in 2024.
Good pop on the running back, and then you can see the motor to finish. Once he gets to the quarterback, he’s able to knock the ball loose, too, leading to the turnover for the Tigers.
When he’s around the ball, he has a tendency to get his hands on it, whether it’s punching it loose as a pass rusher or making a play in coverage.
That’s a special play against Stanford in 2024. He looked like a defensive back there, high-pointing the football and having the hands to make that play outside of his frame.
He’s comfortable in zone and in man, which could allow him to carve out a role as a sub-package linebacker.
CONCLUSION
Overall, I think the floor here with Clemson LB/S Wade Woodaz is a core special teams piece. He brings good athleticism to the table with a nice build. He plays hard and gives good effort, too. But he just doesn’t stand out enough defensively, whether as a linebacker or in limited safety snaps, to truly profile as a defensive piece worth developing.
At his best, I see a sub-package linebacker that can handle some coverage reps and could be a useful blitzer. But overall, I think he’s going to stick around in the NFL for a handful of years as a key special-teams piece. He reminds me a lot of former Oakland Raiders linebacker Miles Burris.
NFL Projection: Late Day 3/UDFA
Steelers Depot Grade: 6.0 (Pure Backup)
Grade Range: 5.5-6.3
Games Watched: LSU (2025), SMU (2025), Florida State (2025), South Carolina (2025), Stanford (2024), Virginia (2024)
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