Student-Athlete Feature: Maxton Woodward
9.30.26 | Football
By: Joey Mullins
Samford Athletics
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- If anyone was born to play football, it would be Maxton Woodward. He stands six-foot-two inches tall and weighs in at 315 pounds and can be a problem for any offensive lineman who faces him.
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The Samford senior defensive lineman from Philadelphia, Mississippi, played football, basketball and baseball growing up, but football was always his first love. His father, Marcus, helped develop his love for the game that eventually brought him to Samford University.
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"I was about six or seven years old when I started playing football," Woodward said. "And I would say my dad guided the way or paved the way. Growing up I always liked football, football was my favorite sport. So, it was like a natural thing and my dad just made that dream come true by putting in time with me and taking me to all of my little league games and stuff like that."
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Woodward said, while he enjoyed the other sports, football was the one he was drawn to more than the others.
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"I played football, basketball and baseball," Woodward said. "In basketball I played the four and the five. In baseball I played first base. Football was just always my favorite sport to play."
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Woodward said, from the time he started playing football, he always played defensive line. He said he likes playing on the defensive side of the ball because as he described it, "it's just fun."
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"My favorite part of playing defensive line is, first of all, playing defense is just fun," Woodward said. "Playing defensive line, you can strike somebody without getting in trouble. You can legally let it out on the field. That's the thing I like about defensive line."
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Woodward played his high school football at Neshoba Central High School in Mississippi. During his high school career, Woodward tallied an impressive 232 career tackles, including 137 solo stops. He also had 27 tackles for loss, 14 sacks and six fumble recoveries.
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After his high school career ended, Woodward stayed in Mississippi to play at Holmes Community College. In his final season at Holmes, Woodward had 41 tackles, with 25 of them being solo stops. He also had two and a half sacks for 13 yards.
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When his time at Holmes was coming to an end, Woodward had several options of where to continue his football and academic careers. He talked about what other schools he looked at and what his reasons were for choosing Samford.
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"I had a good amount of options," Woodward said. "I had McNeese, Western Kentucky, Florida International, Louisiana-Monroe, a lot of other schools. But, my big three were McNeese, FIU and Samford and I took the Samford visit between the McNeese and FIU visits. There was just something about this place that I felt like the Lord was pulling me to. It felt like home, it felt like I could be successful here."
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Woodward added that Samford's educational reputation played a part in his choosing to attend the Homewood school.
"I'm a big education guy too, so me learning that this school was highly thought of was big," Woodward said. "The degree will get you somewhere, so I was getting the best of both worlds, I could play D-I football and for life after football, I could have a good degree with the Samford name on it."
Woodward came to Samford for the 2025 season. That season, Woodward played in all 12 games on the defensive line. He tallied 31 tackles, including 12 solo stops. He had three sacks and four and a half tackles for loss on the season as well.
Woodward has a career-high six tackles in a game at Mercer. He had a sack each against Baylor, VMI and ETSU.
The Bulldogs, however, struggled through the season. The team finished with a 1-11 record and a coaching change was made. Veteran coach John Grass was hired as Samford's new head coach in December, bringing with him a brand-new staff.
Woodward chose to stay at Samford despite the challenges and changes, and he said he is glad he made that decision.
"It's been wonderful," Woodward said. "It's been tough, but if that's what it takes to be successful, then it is what it is. I don't regret it at all. I'm glad I stayed, I'm glad I'm here."
Through the first four games of the 2026 season, Woodward has started all four games on the defensive line. He has tallied 18 total tackles, including four solo stops and a tackle for loss.
Woodward has some lofty goals he would like to accomplish before his Samford playing career is over.
"I want a SoCon ring, and I want to make the playoffs," Woodward said. "So, hopefully we can do it this year. I feel like we can, we just have to tighten up and buckle down and go."
Like most college football players, Woodward would like to continue playing the game at the next level. If that does not work out, however, he has a definite plan for what he would like to do once he finishes at Samford.
"At first I was an exercise science major then I switched to sociology," Woodward said. "After I graduate with a sociology degree I plan on going back to get the rest of my prerequisites to get into a physical therapy program. I plan on following that."
Woodward and his fellow seniors have eight regular-season games left in their college football playing careers. The group hopes to leave their mark on the Samford football program and on Samford University before their days on the school's campus are over.
FOLLOW THE BULLDOGS:
For the latest news and information on Samford football, visit the official website for Samford Athletics at SamfordSports.com.Fans can also follow the Bulldogs on social media at /SamfordFootball (Facebook), @SamfordFootball (Instagram) and @SamfordFootball (Twitter).
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Samford Athletics
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- If anyone was born to play football, it would be Maxton Woodward. He stands six-foot-two inches tall and weighs in at 315 pounds and can be a problem for any offensive lineman who faces him.
             Â
The Samford senior defensive lineman from Philadelphia, Mississippi, played football, basketball and baseball growing up, but football was always his first love. His father, Marcus, helped develop his love for the game that eventually brought him to Samford University.
             Â
"I was about six or seven years old when I started playing football," Woodward said. "And I would say my dad guided the way or paved the way. Growing up I always liked football, football was my favorite sport. So, it was like a natural thing and my dad just made that dream come true by putting in time with me and taking me to all of my little league games and stuff like that."
             Â
Woodward said, while he enjoyed the other sports, football was the one he was drawn to more than the others.
             Â
"I played football, basketball and baseball," Woodward said. "In basketball I played the four and the five. In baseball I played first base. Football was just always my favorite sport to play."
             Â
Woodward said, from the time he started playing football, he always played defensive line. He said he likes playing on the defensive side of the ball because as he described it, "it's just fun."
             Â
"My favorite part of playing defensive line is, first of all, playing defense is just fun," Woodward said. "Playing defensive line, you can strike somebody without getting in trouble. You can legally let it out on the field. That's the thing I like about defensive line."
             Â
Woodward played his high school football at Neshoba Central High School in Mississippi. During his high school career, Woodward tallied an impressive 232 career tackles, including 137 solo stops. He also had 27 tackles for loss, 14 sacks and six fumble recoveries.
             Â
After his high school career ended, Woodward stayed in Mississippi to play at Holmes Community College. In his final season at Holmes, Woodward had 41 tackles, with 25 of them being solo stops. He also had two and a half sacks for 13 yards.
             Â
When his time at Holmes was coming to an end, Woodward had several options of where to continue his football and academic careers. He talked about what other schools he looked at and what his reasons were for choosing Samford.
             Â
"I had a good amount of options," Woodward said. "I had McNeese, Western Kentucky, Florida International, Louisiana-Monroe, a lot of other schools. But, my big three were McNeese, FIU and Samford and I took the Samford visit between the McNeese and FIU visits. There was just something about this place that I felt like the Lord was pulling me to. It felt like home, it felt like I could be successful here."
             Â
Woodward added that Samford's educational reputation played a part in his choosing to attend the Homewood school.
"I'm a big education guy too, so me learning that this school was highly thought of was big," Woodward said. "The degree will get you somewhere, so I was getting the best of both worlds, I could play D-I football and for life after football, I could have a good degree with the Samford name on it."
Woodward came to Samford for the 2025 season. That season, Woodward played in all 12 games on the defensive line. He tallied 31 tackles, including 12 solo stops. He had three sacks and four and a half tackles for loss on the season as well.
Woodward has a career-high six tackles in a game at Mercer. He had a sack each against Baylor, VMI and ETSU.
The Bulldogs, however, struggled through the season. The team finished with a 1-11 record and a coaching change was made. Veteran coach John Grass was hired as Samford's new head coach in December, bringing with him a brand-new staff.
Woodward chose to stay at Samford despite the challenges and changes, and he said he is glad he made that decision.
"It's been wonderful," Woodward said. "It's been tough, but if that's what it takes to be successful, then it is what it is. I don't regret it at all. I'm glad I stayed, I'm glad I'm here."
Through the first four games of the 2026 season, Woodward has started all four games on the defensive line. He has tallied 18 total tackles, including four solo stops and a tackle for loss.
Woodward has some lofty goals he would like to accomplish before his Samford playing career is over.
"I want a SoCon ring, and I want to make the playoffs," Woodward said. "So, hopefully we can do it this year. I feel like we can, we just have to tighten up and buckle down and go."
Like most college football players, Woodward would like to continue playing the game at the next level. If that does not work out, however, he has a definite plan for what he would like to do once he finishes at Samford.
"At first I was an exercise science major then I switched to sociology," Woodward said. "After I graduate with a sociology degree I plan on going back to get the rest of my prerequisites to get into a physical therapy program. I plan on following that."
Woodward and his fellow seniors have eight regular-season games left in their college football playing careers. The group hopes to leave their mark on the Samford football program and on Samford University before their days on the school's campus are over.
FOLLOW THE BULLDOGS:
For the latest news and information on Samford football, visit the official website for Samford Athletics at SamfordSports.com.Fans can also follow the Bulldogs on social media at /SamfordFootball (Facebook), @SamfordFootball (Instagram) and @SamfordFootball (Twitter).
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