'14 NJ CB Jabrill Peppers (Michigan Verbal)

[Sherm Sticky]

Lol only guy I'd trade him for is a top flight QB.



Love the guys versatility. He can do almost anything on the football field. I really think if he focused on only CB or only Safety or only RB that he'd be a 1st round pick at any one of those positions.



Just re-watched some of his highlights. He had his downs as you'd expect from a RS Frosh getting his first real playing time, but my god did he make so many plays on offense, defense, and special teams that just made you go WHOA. Dude is a freak of nature athlete for sure. Speed, power, agility, explosion, quickness, size, strength- he has it all. There really isn't one thing that he lacks as an athlete. Complete freak of nature.



Rashan Gary might've been ranked higher, but give me Peppers. I still think Peppers will prove to be the most important recruit that Michigan's landed in over a decade.

Most important recruit...more so than Shane Morris?

How about Zaire for Peppers?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TomHaverford]

Most important recruit...more so than Shane Morris?

How about Zaire for Peppers?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

God so many were dead wrong about him. Everyone bought into his hype. Hype that was based off of him looking great in workouts in t-shirt sand shorts and playing against air in 7on7 tournaments. The recruiting services bought in hook line and sinker bc the kid had the size of an NFL QB at a legit 6'3" and 200ish in high school, and he was athletic and could move a little bit- he wasn't a complete statue like so many "pocket passers" - AND he had one of the strongest arms in a HS QB recruit since Ryan Mallett. Unfortunately Morris just sucks at football. Good kid though. He's not a shithead with the ego and personality of Vanilla Ice circa 1991 who was hated by all of his teammates like Mallett.

Morris was a kid with all the measurables you look for in a recruit but he never backed it up on the actual football field in high school.

Peppers had all of the measurables but he backed it up on the field with production. Believe he won the player of the year in NJ two years in a row and was a 4-year varsity starter and pretty much the impact player on 4 straight state championship teams in NJ.

 

[woolybug25]

I don't think he sucks at football, he just got "Dayne Cristed".

QB's are fragile creatures. Kid got broken on the field and was never able to get his head straight. Doesn't help when you're left on the field to get your brains bashed in for no reason.

 

[TomHaverford]

I don't think he sucks at football, he just got "Dayne Cristed".

QB's are fragile creatures. Kid got broken on the field and was never able to get his head straight. Doesn't help when you're left on the field to get your brains bashed in for no reason.

well he was never actually that great on the field in high school. He was very raw with a lot of potential. He was a stud in those 7on7 camps though where there's no pass rush or complex coverages being thrown at him and he can show off his footwork and his arm strength.

You're 100% right though. His confidence was definitely shattered and Brady Hoke definitely ruined the kid from the beginning. Hoke promised him he wouldn't take a QB in the class before or in the same class. Who does that? Pretty much babied him and then Hoke burned his red-shirt for no apparent reason to try and win a meaningless bowl against Kansas State. He was a kid that absolutely needed a redshirt, he wasn't really polished right out of high school and ready to play like a Jimmy Clausen or Matt Stafford. Morris was always going to be a kid that needed a lot of coaching and to be brought a long slowly. He was a very raw HS player with a ton of physical talent.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Athletically, I believe Peppers and Jaylon occupy the same strata. Just a cut above most people.

The problem so far is Peppers hasn't produced at an elite level yet.

45 total tackles last year, 34 were solo (expected from secondary).
0 int, 0 FF
11.4 yard average on kick and punt returns
Then he rushed for 72 yds and received 79 yds, all season.

Let's see what he does in his junior year (and senior year potentially).

 

[dublinirish]

Athletically, I believe Peppers and Jaylon occupy the same strata. Just a cut above most people.

The problem so far is Peppers hasn't produced at an elite level yet.

45 total tackles last year, 34 were solo (expected from secondary).
0 int, 0 FF
11.4 yard average on kick and punt returns
Then he rushed for 72 yds and received 79 yds, all season.

Let's see what he does in his junior year (and senior year potentially).

He'll probably be gone after junior year and then be drafted for his potential. He'll be one of those dudes you feel never scratched the surface of his talents while in college. Like a Troy Niklas or Kyle Rudolph.

 

[IrishLion]

my god did he make so many plays on offense, defense, and special teams that just made you go WHOA.

The problem so far is Peppers hasn't produced at an elite level yet.

45 total tackles last year, 34 were solo (expected from secondary).
0 int, 0 FF
11.4 yard average on kick and punt returns
Then he rushed for 72 yds and received 79 yds, all season.

When you've got them Maize n' Blue glasses on and they're kinda foggy

 

[PANDFAN]

Athletically, I believe Peppers and Jaylon occupy the same strata. Just a cut above most people.

The problem so far is Peppers hasn't produced at an elite level yet.

45 total tackles last year, 34 were solo (expected from secondary).
0 int, 0 FF
11.4 yard average on kick and punt returns
Then he rushed for 72 yds and received 79 yds, all season.

Let's see what he does in his junior year (and senior year potentially).

I NORMALLY would agree, unfortunately i watched a lot of michigan games as they typically are on....just like jaylon stats are not the end all...he locked down 1/4-1/2 the field and was able to create a lot of plays...i like watching him play

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

I NORMALLY would agree, unfortunately i watched a lot of michigan games as they typically are on....just like jaylon stats are not the end all...he locked down 1/4-1/2 the field and was able to create a lot of plays...i like watching him play

No doubt but a "great" player is someone who still gets on the stat sheet. If he is that electric, he should easily score a TD on special teams.... at least one.

Now perhaps he's still acclimating or his blocking was horrendous but we're referencing Peppers as a freak athlete and I think some production should be expected, no?

Did they just avoid throwing to his side all together? I mean zero interceptions or forced fumbles, zero special teams TDs and a modest number of tackles.

I would love to have Peppers on our team, make no mistake but his numbers so far are not very impressive. He is physically impressive.

It's reasonable to expect Peppers to have a huge year and jump to the NFL because he is that gifted but so far, the numbers don't live up to the superlatives that preceded him.

 

[jspags10pg]

This dude is a freak athletically. No one is arguing that. But I think he played out of position last year at CB. I would bet he has much better production this year. He just isn't lock down in coverage. Should be much better in his S/LB role this year, IMO. I always thought he should be playing safety when I watched them play last year, never really thought about LB. Should be interesting.

 

[IrishLion]

I'd bring back the gradeschool 5-2 Monster and let him do whatever he wants on each play.

 

[Irish#1]

He plays for scUM, who cares?

 

[TomHaverford]

No doubt but a "great" player is someone who still gets on the stat sheet. If he is that electric, he should easily score a TD on special teams.... at least one.

Now perhaps he's still acclimating or his blocking was horrendous but we're referencing Peppers as a freak athlete and I think some production should be expected, no?

Did they just avoid throwing to his side all together? I mean zero interceptions or forced fumbles, zero special teams TDs and a modest number of tackles.

I would love to have Peppers on our team, make no mistake but his numbers so far are not very impressive. He is physically impressive.

It's reasonable to expect Peppers to have a huge year and jump to the NFL because he is that gifted but so far, the numbers don't live up to the superlatives that preceded him.

well he was just a RS Frosh. And they didn't just stick him at one position and say "only do this". They played him a little bit of everywhere. At Safety, at CB, at nickel, and LB. He took direct snaps on offense, play some RB, some WR, and he was also a return guy.

Yeah he only scored 2 TD's on offense, but he only had about 24 touches I think. A td every 12th touch ain't too shabby man. If they had just stuck him at RB all year he'd have been far and away the best RB on the entire roster by a long shot.

As for INT's, he got his hands on 3 or 4 that he just didn't come down with. He was oh so close a couple times. I distinctly remember one against Minnesota that would've been a pick 6 had he not dropped it bc he tried to take off running before he actually caught it.

As far as his tackling, he had some really impressive open field tackles and he was a screen destroyer. It was almost impossible for offenses to run screens to his side because he'd sniff them out and avoid the WR that was suppose to block them and just close on the ball carrier in a flash. Also remember one play where a WR beat him in coverage and the ball went over his head to the WR and he just turned on the jets and exploded into the WR as soon as the ball arrived and dislodged the ball from the WR. That made me go HOLY SHIT that guy is a freak athlete. Also remember that open field tackle he made against Rutgers where he wasn't involved in the play, came across the field turned on the jets and tracked down the Rutgers ball carrier and saved a touchdown. It was another HOLY SHIT that guy is fast moment.

He also must've busted a 4-5 returns for big gains, where if he just made 1 better move he'd have had 6. He had like few 40-50+ yarders in the return game. He also had a bunch of returns that might not have went far but the tap dancing and the moves to get the yards he got made you go WOW...that dude is different.

He was only a RS Frosh. His best football is WAY out in front of him. He'll only get better.

 

[dublinirish]

he is taking his six tackles a game talents to the league

 

[NDShark]

he is taking his six tackles a game talents to the league

To my surprise, you gave him too much credit (5.92)

cfbstats.com - Jabrill Peppers 2016 Player Statistics - Michigan Wolverines

 

[Wingman Ray]

Not 100% convinced he was "injured" for the game. My money is that he played the McCaffey card and hairball covered for him as a favor.

 

[Henges24]

Not 100% convinced he was "injured" for the game. My money is that he played the McCaffey card and hairball covered for him as a favor.

Most definitely. If Michigan is in the playoff he is playing that game.

 

[ColinKSU]

I have no idea of Jabrill Peppers is actually a good player, or if ESPN, recruiting sites and Michigan fans have just *told* me he's a good player enough times that I now assume he is a good player.

 

[woolybug25]

He's claiming on his twitter that he hasn't made a decision.

https://twitter.com/darrenheitner/status/816334756786929664

 

[Irish#1]

He's claiming on his twitter that he hasn't made a decision.

https://twitter.com/darrenheitner/status/816334756786929664

Butt hurt because it was leaked before he announced. He'll still go.

 

[NDdomer2]

so if he isnt going pro why did he sit out the bowl game?

 

[woolybug25]

so if he isnt going pro why did he sit out the bowl game?

He had a hamstring injury.

Also, still think he goes pro. He is just pissed that it was leaked. But what did he expect, if the reports are true and he signed with CAA, then that kind of secret doesn't last long.

 

[Irish#1]

Not 100% convinced he was "injured" for the game. My money is that he played the McCaffey card and hairball covered for him as a favor.

Heard a lot of analysts and experts politely come down on McCaffrey for his decision. They understood Fournette, but not McCaffrey. Says it could be setting a very bad trend for CFB.

 

[Wingman Ray]

Heard a lot of analysts and experts politely come down on McCaffrey for his decision. They understood Fournette, but not McCaffrey. Says it could be setting a very bad trend for CFB.

Man lets face it...football players are in it for pro potential and nothing else. Why else do most the 5 star players have an IQ barely able to graduate high school, much less get into college grade wise. They could care less. It is all about them. That is why there is need for Bagmen and handouts their whole college career.

But honestly, if Im a player in CFB without a degree and no chance to get a real degree, why not? Yes, the honorable thing to do is to stay and play with your teammates who wont be going pro but in the end, those teammates nor that coach are paying your mortgage down the road. So if you get hurt, good luck working for the city on road maintenance because that is what the majority of the pro quality college players potential is if you take away football.

 

[NorthDakota]

He had a hamstring injury.

Also, still think he goes pro. He is just pissed that it was leaked. But what did he expect, if the reports are true and he signed with CAA, then that kind of secret doesn't last long.

Does anyone believe he was actually hurt?

 

[woolybug25]

Does anyone believe he was actually hurt?

I do. Did you see him walking on the sidelines or watch the video where he is crying in the locker room for "letting his team down"? The guy suited up and was tested before the game by the staff. The decision was theirs.

 

[NorthDakota]

I do. Did you see him walking on the sidelines or watch the video where he is crying in the locker room for "letting his team down"? The guy suited up and was tested before the game by the staff. The decision was theirs.

I saw neither of these. I'll remain skeptical, not his fault though. I enjoy my tin foil hat

 

[woolybug25]

I saw neither of these. I'll remain skeptical, not his fault though. I enjoy my tin foil hat

Clearly.

 

[NDdomer2]

I do. Did you see him walking on the sidelines or watch the video where he is crying in the locker room for "letting his team down"? The guy suited up and was tested before the game by the staff. The decision was theirs.

thanks for this wooly, i was unaware he tried to go. Just heard it was game day decision. I assumed it was similar reasons of Fournette/McCaffrey.

 

[dublinirish]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qe057scmJSU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>