*Walt taking 2014 and 2018 |
Charlie Campbell, Senior Draft Analyst |
Scouts Compare Jabrill Peppers to Jalen Ramsey
Updated July 19, 2016By Charlie Campbell. Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell.
Throughout last season and during the lead-up to the 2016 NFL Draft, there was a lot of talk about what a freak athlete Jalen Ramsey was. He contributed to Florida State’s national championship team as a freshman before being a superb defender for the Seminoles the past two seasons. As expected, Ramsey wowed teams at the Combine and in workouts as he combined rare size, speed, athleticism and strength for a defensive back. After impressing at both safety and cornerback in college, Ramsey was the fifth-overall pick to the Jaguars.
NFL sources say there could be a similar prospect in the 2017 NFL Draft in Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers, except some scouts say that in their early impression of Peppers, he is a better athlete than Ramsey.
Michigan found more ways to use Peppers, as he also helped out on special teams and offense while Ramsey was just a defender for the Seminoles. Peppers mainly played strong safety for Michigan in 2015, totaling 45 tackles with 10 passes broken up. On offense, he was a gadget player with 18 carries for 72 yards and a touchdown. He had eight receptions for 79 yards. Peppers also averaged 11.4 yards per punt return.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Peppers told the media recently that he ran the 40-yard dash in the 4.3s, and that is a tremendous time for any player, but especially for a defensive back his size. Scouts say that in their early view of Peppers, they feel he is more athletic than Ramsey even though they play different positions. It remains to be seen if Peppers grades out as high, higher, or lower than where Ramsey ended up going.
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