Why Jabrill Peppers should return to Michigan in 2017
By Tyler Brooke
Improve his NFL Draft Stock
Like I said earlier, Peppers is definitely in the conversation as a first-round pick. Although I personally think that Peppers is one of the best prospects in the draft, there are others who aren’t nearly as high on him. Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller does’t think he should be drafted in the top 15, and others are even lower on him.
The biggest question for Peppers is that scouts don’t know what position would suit him best in the NFL. Some say outside linebacker. Others say safety. A hybrid safety/linebacker position is also more than possible. That uncertainty has some wondering if he can specialize at the next level.
When it comes to physical tools, Peppers is arguably one of the top two or three guys in this draft class. He’s an unbelievable athlete with elite speed and aggressiveness to make plays. However, he’s still a raw player with no defined position.
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Spending another season proving that he’s more than capable of playing defense could make Peppers a lock as a top-five pick next year. That might not seem like a huge difference, but that could mean a rookie contract worth significantly more than what he’d get as a late first rounder.
The same could be said for Peppers hurting his draft stock due to underperforming or injury. Those are valid points, and ones that Peppers is thinking about while considering his decision this year. Regardless of when Peppers decides to play in the NFL, we can at least be sure that teams will be interested.