Jabrill Peppers can do it all for the Browns

Jabrill Peppers was one of the most fun players in college football last season — not just because he was a phenomenal player, but also because he could line up at almost every position on the field. Michigan’s do-it-all linebacker, defensive back, and return specialist will now be taking the gridiron for the Browns, who selected him with after the No. 25 pick in the 2017 NFL draft.

During his college career, Peppers was a two-time first-team All-Big Ten, a unanimous All-American in 2016, the Lott Trophy winner, the Paul Hornung Award winner for college football’s most versatile player, and a Heisman finalist. Michigan had the top-ranked unit in FBS last season, thanks in large part to Peppers, who led the team with 47 solo tackles and 16 tackles for loss.

Perhaps the biggest question when it comes to Peppers is what position he’ll play in the NFL. At 5’11, 213 pounds, he’s small for a linebacker, which is what he played most of last season with Michigan.

During the NFL Combine, Peppers worked out with both the defensive backs and linebackers. His 4.46 40-yard dash was best among linebackers, and fifth-best among safeties, showing he can keep up with anybody on the football field. His strength was apparent when he put up 19 reps on the bench press, second-best for safeties. His explosiveness was also on display with a 10’8” broad jump, highest among linebackers and tied for fourth among safeties.

Even though his numbers put him as a top performer at the linebacker position, he told reporters in Indianapolis, “What do I look like? I’m a safety. I’m a safety.”

And for good measure, “Yes, I’m a safety.”

Although Peppers plans on being a safety in the NFL, as his college days proved, he’s capable of much more. He said during the combine that teams had inquired about him playing some offense, including slot receiver and running back.

At Michigan’s pro day, he was a little more specific.

“I’ve had one team tell me they want me to play linebacker,” Peppers said in March at Michigan’s pro day via the Associated Press. “One team told me they thought I should play offense. Other than that it’s, ‘you’re a safety.’ ... No one’s come into a room and said, ‘Jabrill, we don’t know what to do with you.’”

One thing is to be expected, and that’s he will be on special teams. “Absolutely. They don’t have to assume,” Peppers said. “I will.”

The Heisman finalist did whatever was asked of him in his three seasons at Michigan. While he was the Wolverines’ Swiss Army knife, he showed enough to be a first-round pick in the NFL.

At linebacker, he was great at stuffing the run in college. On the road against Michigan State, he made a powerful stop on fourth-and-1, using an incredible amount of strength to stop Spartans running back Gerald Holmes’ momentum.

In the same game, Peppers showed how he’s able to play well in pursuit after perfectly reading the option, while also making a textbook open-field tackle on L.J. Scott. It was not only another display of his strength, but his awareness as well.

To put the finishing touches on what was already a fantastic performance, Peppers sealed the game with a sack. He started the play on the other side of the field, read the quarterback, and quickly made his move and wrapped him up, leaving him unable to make a play on fourth down.

Peppers is dynamic when he has the ball, too, and it’s why he expects to return punts in the NFL.

This punt return against Rutgers was called back for a block in the back, but it was a beauty that shows just how dangerous he is when he gets his hands on the rock.

Once in control, Peppers shows patience by letting his blocks take out a couple of Rutgers defenders, before he takes matters into his own hands by breaking two tackles, and following his teammates as they escorted him for six points.

Peppers turned a short field into six points against Colorado in a way that most players can’t. As soon as Peppers got his hands on the ball and made the first defender miss, the Michigan Stadium crowd seemingly energized the rest of his run as he made defenders miss, broke a tackle, and ultimately found the end zone.

Earlier in April, Peppers clapped back at Bleacher Report’s Chris Simms, who called him “overrated” and a “tweener on defense with no position.”

Peppers struck back on Twitter:

At Michigan’s Pro Day, Peppers said he’d be the steal of the draft.

“Whatever team takes me, it’s going to be a steal,” Peppers said, via the AP. “I don’t care what the draft experts — and things like that — what they have to say. I only care about what these GMs and coaches think about me. I just need the opportunity. That’s it.”

Peppers tested positive for a diluted sample at the NFL Combine, which immediately puts him in the substance abuse program. He’ll now have regular and random drug tests upon being drafted.

Teams are also reportedly concerned that he skipped the Orange Bowl, even though he was seen trying to test out his hamstring before the game.

He also comes with some injury concerns. He took a medical redshirt during his freshman season, after missing five games because of a leg injury that didn’t heal quite as fast as expected. He also missed the Orange Bowl after suffering a hamstring injury in practice leading up to the game.

The biggest criticism with Peppers is that he does many things, but not one thing spectacularly better than another. Peppers didn’t pad the stats sheet like most would expect from a first-round playmaker. He had just one interception during his college career, and 10 passes defended. Those aren’t exactly eye-popping numbers for a defensive back.

He’s shown he can play many positions well, and is physically gifted. He should find more consistency with one position in the NFL, though.