Leading up to the 2017 NFL Draft, we’ll take a closer look at 16 players mocked to the Ravens at pick No. 16.
Size: 5-foot-11, 213 pounds
Year: Junior
2016 Stats: 66 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 pass defensed, 1 interception
Career Stats: 119 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 11 passes defensed, 1 interception
Combine Performance:
40-Yard Dash: 4.46 seconds
Bench Press: 19 reps
Vertical jump: 35.5 inches
Broad jump: 128 inches
Peppers was a highly sought-after high school recruit. He was the 2013 USA Today High School Defensive Player of the Year, and the New Jersey native chose Michigan because he wanted to follow in the footsteps of Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson. At the end of his junior year, Peppers was also a Heisman candidate, but didn’t win. Peppers has had a rough upbringing, in which his father was in jail and his brother was shot and killed seven years ago.
Strengths:
“Athletic and fluid in space with desired change of direction talent. Moves with the changing flow of a play. Willing to sacrifice body to honor contain against run. Jack of all trades. Can play slot, safety or linebacker in sub-packages in any given game. Won't hesitate to race downhill once he diagnoses run. Hits with as much force as he can muster. Has big closing burst. Runs plays down from sideline to sideline. Able to knife into gaps and make tackles for losses or disrupt runs. Has man cover talent and is physical enough to handle most tight ends. Has enough quickness to match receivers. Aggressively re-routes receivers. Capable blitzer who buzzes in from all angles. Electric return man with ability to charge up crowd and his own sideline with big kick or punt return. Has experience carrying and catching the ball and as wildcat quarterback. Could offer red-zone flexibility on offense.” – Lance Zierlein, NFL Media
Weaknesses:
“Not physical in press coverage – gives too many free releases off the line of scrimmage. Will try to run around blockers instead of address head-on, can lose fits. Played out of position when lined up as a linebacker in 2016; lacks the strength, physicality to take on and defeat blockers at the point of attack. In zone coverage, whether deep or in the box, he tends to attack the first thing he sees, which gets him out of position; wants to find the ball too much. For such an elite athlete, he is consistently late to break and close on passes in front when in zone or off coverage. Lack of bulk, strength limits his effectiveness in coverage against tight ends.” – Pro Football Focus
