Explosiveness: Wooden shows good explosiveness off the snap, using his long legs to make big strides up the field and engage with his opponents. Wooden plays with low pads and good body control, which helps him use this natural speed to good use when attacking gaps in run defense.
Pad Level/Leverage: Wooden plays with good pad level overall however he can struggle to stay disciplined in pass defense. When working into his pass rush arc, he plays high in his stance and opens up his pads to potential blockers. As a run defender, Wooden plays low and generates good leverage when working against offensive linemen, which allows him to dictate plays in the backfield.
Pass Rush Plan: Wooden displays great athleticism against the pass in terms of flexibility in addition to a consistent motor that nets him some pressures however he struggles with hand usage. He’s accurate with his placement against opponents but lacks a well-defined pass rush repertoire. He’s flashed some good moves such as the arm forklift but was able to successfully pull of the rush for the sack.
Run Defense: Wooden is a plus run defender due to his athletic traits, low pad level, and good hand placement on blocks. Wooden does a lot of good when operating from a third-technique alignment, exploding from his hips into his opponents with good hand force. His arm length and motor net him some penetration into the backfield after a quick stack and shed. Against double teams, he’s able to play low and put his body into an offensive lineman to stand pat at the point of attack. He does a good job reading blocks at the line of scrimmage, seldom rushing too far upfield on misdirection plays.
Versatility: Wooden’s body type fits that of a versatile defensive lineman who can play inside as a three-technique while also kicking out to five-technique as a pass rusher. He needs to add a more well-rounded pass rush set in order to be fully entrusted to play outside.
Strength/Power: Wooden displays good strength in his lower half despite a leaner frame. He can hit his opponents with hand force to leverage pressure in the run and pass game. This is especially true when negating double teams, using lower-half leverage to hold his own at the line of scrimmage. Despite this, he could add more strength to help him better his speed to power rushes.
Block Shedding: Wooden shows great blocking shedding in the run game due to good hand placement, body positioning, and quickness. He can engage with his opponents very well on drive and reach blocks, forming his body to match with look he gets which helps him quickly detach.
Hand Usage: Wooden has good placement against the run, hitting the proper marks on the pads of his opponents. His athleticism and hand power allow him to dictate lineman at the point of attack and negate runners coming through his gap.
Flexibility: Wooden has really nice ankle/hip bend that allows him to loop around opponents in pass-rushing situations. He does a good job using this flexibility as a run defender when asked to track down runners in the backfield from across the formation.
Gap Shooting: Above-average lateral mobility and gap shooting prowess. Wooden plays smart at the point of attack with good vision to read keys and the movement of the football. His quick feet and hip bend allow him to quickly move from gap to gap when defending multiple gaps. He’s flashed many plays where he can propel himself through gaps with good pad level and arm length.
