Hudson Woods did not win the 200 meters at the Don Shelton Relays in Buda in late March. He clocked a 24.27 in that race, good enough for fifth place, about a second off the pace of Round Rock Westwood’s Colten Case, who took home the gold.

But picture the starting line for a moment. There’s Colten Case in Lane 1, standing about 5-11 and 170 pounds, according to records. And next to him is Hudson Woods — all 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds of him.

“From what I’ve seen, I’m the only person who looks like me out there,” Woods said with a laugh.

Woods may not look like your everyday sprinter, but that’s never stopped him — he runs the 100, the 200 and the 4x200-meter relay for Smithson Valley. Call it a habit.

“I used to play wide receiver, and that’s what I thought I was going to play at the next level,” Woods said. “Then freshman year, I got moved up to play end. I was 160 pounds my freshman year. I realized I had to gain a lot of weight, so I just focused on that for two straight years…and I was able to keep my speed.”

That trick — gaining 70 pounds while maintaining his fleet feet — has turned Woods into one of the most dangerous defenders in all of Texas high school football. As a junior in 2024, Woods notched 66 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and 13 sacks in helping to guide Smithson Valley to its long-elusive first state championship.

Not bad for a guy playing hurt.

“I fractured my wrist in the second game of the season,” Woods confessed. “I didn’t get it checked out because I knew I’d be taken out. I waited until after the season to get the X-ray.”

It’s emblematic of a toughness that’s defined Woods his entire career, dating back to his freshman season. That’s when he fractured his back in two places and suffered from three bulging discs — “pretty much the worst injury I think you could get,” he recalls — which kept him out for nine months.

“But that was the biggest thing that made me who I am, just focusing on the character development,” Woods said. “I learned so much during that time.”

Larry Hill is sure glad to have him. The legendary Smithson Valley coach has seen a lot of great defenders during his three-plus decades at the helm, and he knows how special Woods is.

“There’s a lot of guys who are fast or strong, but there’s an innate ability — game instincts — and he seems to have that,” Hill said. “He’s just got a knack of getting on the shoulder of an offensive tackle and using his speed and strength.”

The feeling of respect is mutual between coach and player: Woods played an integral role in getting Hill his first state championship, the only item missing from a legendary résumé.

“After years of heartbreak, helping bring that title home — and doing it for Coach Hill — was unreal,” Woods said. “It meant everything.”

If you think Woods sounds wise beyond his years, you’re not alone — colleges have noticed as well, garnering him offers from all across the nation, including high-end academic institutions like Northwestern.

For now, though, Woods is focused on taking the next step in his development, and getting the Rangers another state championship. His wrist injury changed his playing style, he said, and part of his offseason plan is breaking less-than-ideal technical habits.

“Right now my biggest focus is perfecting my craft, getting my muscle memory broken so I can get back to the good technique I used to have,” Woods said.

It’s a self-awareness and a passion that isn’t lost on his Hall of Fame coach.

“He loves football,” Hill said. “He puts in time training for football away from here — not just doing what he’s told. He’s got one motivation only: I want to get faster. I want to improve.”