Some of the top shots of Michigan's Jabrill Peppers.
Throughout his career, Michigan's Jabrill Peppers was one of the most explosive all-around players in college football. He played primarily on defense, moving from the secondary to linebacker during his final season with the Wolverines, but was also utilized on offense and on special teams. He rushed for five touchdowns on 45 carries and caught 10 passes while also averaging 13.1 yards per punt return with a touchdown.
Peppers' performance earned him a spot as a Heisman Trophy finalist. Former Michigan standout Charles Woodson is the only defensive player to win the Heisman, taking home the award in 1997. Since then, just four defensive players, including Peppers, have been selected as finalists.
As the deadline approached for underclassmen to commit for the NFL draft, Peppers announced that he would be entering his name. But his versatility could hurt his draft stock, according to several experts. NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah has Peppers as the No. 33 overall prospect in this year's class.
Seen this on IG.. Had to try it lol harder than I thought pic.twitter.com/ZvLZRjfLhM
— JP5 (@JabrillPeppers) August 6, 2016
"Peppers has played cornerback, safety, linebacker, running back and quarterback during his time in Ann Arbor, and is an incredibly tough evaluation," Jeremiah wrote. "He has outstanding athleticism, but didn't look comfortable playing linebacker in 2016, lacking the size to hold up at that spot in the NFL. I think he's best suited to play strong safety.
"As a run defender, he relies on his quickness to burst through gaps and find the ball carrier. Once engaged by blockers, he really struggled. He needs to be clean to be effective. In pass coverage, he has plenty of speed and agility to mirror tight ends, and he is a dynamic blitzer. His instincts and ball production are both average. He is a very explosive punt returner, and is both elusive and instinctive as a runner on offense. Overall, Peppers is a better athlete than football player right now, but he has tremendous upside as a strong safety."
Should Jeremiah's evaluation hold true, Peppers could be on the board for the Buccaneers when they pick at No. 19. As the offseason carries on, it will be interesting to see how Peppers' stock rises or falls. A former track star, he's expected to perform well at the NFL Combine. From what he's done in college, he's definitely a prospect to keep an eye on in the next coming months.
