Jabrill Peppers is easily the most famous player on the Michigan roster in 2016 and there is a reason for that. Peppers is insanely athletic in a way that most athletes can't dream of, and while he was recruited as a cornerback, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound monster is now playing linebacker on a full-time basis in Ann Arbor.
Mel Kiper of ESPN recently weighed in Peppers' NFL prospects by placing him among the top 15 draft-eligible players in 2017, but in the same breath, the pundit expressed concerns that Peppers' famed versatility could actually be a bad thing in the eyes of some.
Coach Jim Harbaugh raves about Peppers, who might be the most versatile player in college football. At 6-foot, 210 pounds, he plays safety, corner and outside linebacker and is even a dynamic returner. Not having a defined position could hurt him in scouts' eyes, though. He needs to settle in. Could he become a Deone Bucannon at the next level? I expect him to test off the charts when he comes to the NFL combine.
Peppers has played cornerback, safety, linebacker, wide receiver, running back and quarterback during his brief Michigan career, and he also is very active in the kick and punt return game for the Wolverines. Long-term, Peppers is seen as a safety for the most part, but his world-class athleticism could propel him in a number of directions, and Kiper's comparison to Deone Bucannon would be as an undersized, ball-hawking linebacker.
Regardless of what position he plays, Jabrill Peppers is incredibly special, and he just might be the best player in the Big Ten. I think Michigan is okay with his versatility.
