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Relationships at Alabama strong for Peter Woods

Peter Woods, Rivals100 defensive end from Thompson High School in Alabaster, Alabama, has visited the University of Alabama countless times since the start of his recruitment when he was a freshman. He returned on Saturday and spent the night in Tuscaloosa.

“The trip was amazing," Woods said. 'This time I got to spend time with some of the guys I've formed relationships with in the past and just making those relationships stronger.

"I spent time with Coach Saban. It was more than just recruiting. We had some good personal talks. I feel like it's starting to take a turn as far as Alabama recruiting me goes. It's not as much about what I can do for them, but what they can do for me to help me become a better man.

"Coach Saban was telling me about all the things they are putting in to help make Alabama better educational-wise, from an athletic performance standpoint and nutrition. It's just crazy seeing what they are about to do.

"The only thing Alabama has to sell is wins, nattys (national championships), but they are trying to help better the athlete and better the man rather than talking about everything they have done. It's definitely something I can respect."

Woods has plenty of connections to the Alabama football program. His cousin, Amari Kight, is an offensive lineman for the Tide. His former teammates, Jeremiah Alexander and Tre'Quon Fegans, enrolled at Alabama in January.

"I spent a lot of time mostly with players," he said. "I spent time with Amari during the day. I was with Jeremiah, Tre'Quon, Jihaad (Campbell) and Elijah Brown at night. Those are my guys. They just had their taste of the first work-outs. They probably weren't as energetic as I was.

"This is just the beginning for them. It's only going to get harder. They did say Alabama is going to help you. They talked about the amount of support they give you academics and performance-wise. There is no reason why you should fail. It just assured me that I'll have a support system outside of just my family."

The relationship between Alabama and the elite in-state prospect has been the same for the last few years. He is a priority target for Nick Saban. He has also developed a strong connection with defensive line coach, Freddie Roach.

"What stands out to me is the consistency," Woods said. "It's unchanging every time I go there. It's never bad. It's always good. I know what to expect when I go there. Coach Saban always keeps it real with me.

"It's like a brotherhood there with the players. I know despite what school I attend I'll always have a relationship with those guys. Relationships are a big thing for me.

"Coach Roach is my dog. We talk multiple times a week. He gives me more advice about life than he does about football. He teaches me about how to become a better man. I'm not even one of his players. I can tell he cares about me."

Woods enjoyed the time spent learning a possible new hobby in the future. Proper fuel for the body shows up on the gridiron. He liked this aspect of the program. .

"The best part of the visit was the food we were cooking while we were there," Woods said. "We had a cooking class with the team chef and their nutritionist. We cooked some stir fry. This might be my new passion. You never know. I've cooked before, but this was my first time doing that. It was cool."

The No. 44 overall player in the Rivals100 will visit Clemson next weekend before the dead period resumes. He expects to visit several schools in the spring and summer. He has a top six of Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia and Oregon.

Woods recorded 96 tackles, 14 sacks and 27 tackles for loss during the 2021 season. He helped Thompson to its third consecutive Class 7A state championship. Woods said he will focus on flexibility this off-season to enhance getting off the ball and his explosiveness.

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Order Andrew Bone's new book: ‘The Road to Bama’

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Order Andrew Bone's book now through Amazon. Click this photo to jump to the order page (Order Andrew Bone's book now through Amazon. Click this photo to jump to the order page)
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