There has been a lot of discussion over where Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers should play in the NFL. Some have envisioned a safety role for him, others view him as a linebacker. Peppers’s college film reveals traits that show he is poorly suited for a linebacker role in the pros. One major issue Peppers encounters is in the run game, where blockers cause him great difficulty.
Too often, Peppers gets knocked back on initial contact with a blocker. Furthermore, he is often blocked downfield. He is overly reliant on his athleticism to bypass blocks, rather than having a nuanced, developed move. He also demonstrates poor awareness of potential blocks, at times seeming surprised when someone tries to take him on. The slapping away of hands he tried was mainly ineffective, particularly against better opposition.
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Advocates of Peppers at linebacker would perhaps point towards his size as an area to defend his underwhelming block shedding. While this does indeed limit his ability to shed blockers in the run game, it is not the sole factor. Peppers has no effective move, and no real keenness to engage blockers. Deone Bucannon, when coming out of Washington State, was violent against blockers and had moves to shed them. This was a large reason for the success of his transition from safety to moneybacker.
It is often said that some linebackers need to be kept ‘clean’ in the run game to be at their best. Peppers would have to be kept clean at all times to function as a linebacker, and that is not feasible. Not being able to deal with an oncoming blocker is a damning trait for his prospects as a linebacker. There are more, which you can find in the Inside the Pylon Draft Guide. Peppers will need to play some form of safety in the NFL.