Colby

Wooden

Wooden (6’4/278) was a 4-star recruit, and the 20th-ranked weak-side defensive end from Lawrenceville, Georgia, according to 247 Sports. He is another versatile defensive lineman that can play anywhere across the line in odd and even fronts. At times he was Derick Hall’s running mate at Edge, on others, he had his hand in the dirt and was taking on blockers. Wooden keeps his feet moving at all times, whether it’s quickly gaining steam working upfield or widening the arc laterally against both the run and the pass, as is shown in his 9.25 RAS. He has good measured length, with 33.75” arms and 10.5” hands, which aid in shedding blocks, usually by breaking the blocker’s grip at the wrist. Wooden likely plays at DE in an odd-front, but could also bulk up and play as a sustaining three tech with pass rush upside.

Wooden (6'5/278) transitioned from defensive end to three tech in 2021 and thrived in his new role, generating 61 tackles, 26 hurries, 8.5 TFL and 4.5 sacks while logging 591 snaps. His PFF pass rush grade is a solid 80.6 which is in line with his 80.2 overall grade. Wooden also posted 37 stops while only missing 10 percent of his potential tackle attempts. At 278 pounds, he still has room to add functional weight which would further strengthen his case as an NFL caliber interior defensive lineman.

Wooden also was considering offers from schools like Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Miami and Michigan -- among several others -- so “only” having three stars may be a bit misleading. He ranks 31st among defensive ends on the 247 Sports composite rankings, and 52nd among prospects from the always loaded state of Georgia. At 6-foot-4, 230-pounds, Wooden will need to bulk up, but reports indicate he has a quick first step and is deceptively strong, so he could be a quality pass-rusher for the Tigers soon.