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Raiders legend Charles Woodson.

The football genes run strong in Charles Woodson’s family. The Las Vegas Raiders legend and NFL Hall of Famer has a son who has previously made waves in high school football.

Charles Woodson Jr., who is also a defensive back like his dad, had a bunch of offers coming out of Lake Nona High School in Orlando, Florida, but he has decided to follow in his father’s footsteps.

Woodson announced that he’ll be playing college football at Michigan, where his father previously won a Heisman Trophy. He also had offers from Florida State, Oregon, Kentucky and Texas A&M.

A lot of times, players who come from famous families prefer to forge their own path, but another Woodson going to Ann Arbor is going to be an exciting story. At the same time, there’s going to be a lot of pressure to perform because of his last name.

Woodson is a three-star recruit, per 247 Sports, so he’s not the same level of prospect as his father, but he’s an intriguing player. He’ll be a player to watch at Michigan in the coming years, but likely won’t have too big of a role as a freshman.

Does Woodson Jr. Have NFL Potential?

In the past, there weren’t many examples of the children of famous players having success playing the same sport. However, there have been more examples of those types of players having success.

That’s why Woodson can be discounted as a future NFL prospect. Andrew Ivins of 247 Sports thinks Woodson is an ascending player.

“Smart safety with best-in-class type of bloodlines that made noticeable strides between sophomore and junior campaigns,” Ivins wrote.

One concern with Woodson is that he’s only 173 pounds. He needs to put on some muscle if he’s going to have success at a big school like Michigan.

“Should be viewed as a potential starter at the Power Four level based on what he put on tape as an 11th grader,” Ivins wrote. “Must add some mass in coming years, but the ability to process on the backend is encouraging.”

Charles Woodson Sr. Praised Fernando Mendoza

Charles Woodson Sr. was in the news recently when he showed up to the Raiders’ introductory press conference for head coach Klint Kubiak. During that time, he had the chance to speak about quarterback Fernando Mendoza, whom the Raiders ended up selecting with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Woodson thinks highly of the young quarterback.

“I think the moment doesn’t get too big for him,” Woodson told Raiders.com. “He’s a big kid, he can run, he’s got some mobility. But he looked like he knows where to go with the football, and I think that’s most important.”

The Raiders haven’t been good in a long time, and former players for the franchise, like Woodson, would like to see them get back on track. Mendoza could be a big step in the right direction. He still has a lot to prove, but he appears to have the makings of a legitimate NFL starting quarterback, which is what the Raiders need.