5. Jabrill Peppers doing everything right
NFL teams aren’t exactly sold on where Peppers will end up playing on Sundays. Some people have said he’ll be a better offensive player than defender.
I've talked to two NFL teams this week in Indy who view Michigan's Jabrill Peppers as a better offensive player than defensive player, FWIW.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) March 5, 2017
Others who see him on defense think he’ll be a better linebacker than safety.
Peppers has made it clear where he stands on the argument, saying he’s clearly a safety (more on that here). This scribe sees him fitting in as an in-the-box safety who specializes in locking up tight ends in the passing game while chasing down running backs from the back side against the run, with some well-timed blitzes in between.
One thing that will surely impress NFL decision makers, no matter where they think he’ll fit in best, is his willingness to do whatever it takes to show off his wares. Sunday Peppers worked out with linebackers, not surprisingly posting the fastest 40-yard time of anyone in his position group. He also posted top-five marks in the vertical and broad jump, showing off his explosion and burst.
Jabrill Peppers, based on his combine:
– Runs faster than Antonio Brown
– Quicker than DeSean Jackson
– Jumps higher than A.J. Green pic.twitter.com/OqfyZYbwyg— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) March 5, 2017
Peppers told the guys on NFL Network that he’ll run and jump and do all the drills again Monday with the defensive backs, if they’ll let him.
Simply put, he’s showing teams he’s not going to back down from any challenge. And that’s something everyone in the NFL loves to see from a young player.