Jabrill Peppers sets high goals; one is matching Charles Woodson
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Jabrill Peppers doesn’t set somewhat reasonable, tame or even mediocre expectations for himself.
After he committed to Michigan, he decided he’d try to be better than Charles Woodson, one of the greatest players in program history and the only primarily defensive player to ever win the Heisman Trophy.
And Woodson had helped Michigan not only secure a win vs. archrival Ohio State — with the famous punt returned for a touchdown, and the interception in the end zone — but also win a share of the 1997 national championship.
Peppers realized quickly, once he set foot on campus, that what Woodson did would not be easy to duplicate — or surpass.
“Now that I'm actually playing here, I'm like, ‘Wow, he's better than I thought he was,’ ” Peppers said, grinning. “You can't compare me to Charles. He has a national championship, a Heisman and a Big Ten championship. There is no comparison.”
Well, no, certainly not in terms of success to date, though Peppers would like to change that. His Wolverines are 7-0, ranked second in the nation and control their destiny both in terms of a league title and a trip to the four-team College Football Playoff. And Peppers, the most versatile player in college football, is in contention for the Heisman Trophy.
“What I would say right now is that he has a very good chance,” Woodson, a current ESPN NFL analyst, said through an ESPN spokesman. “I would say right now that the leader in that category is Lamar Jackson out of Louisville. But what Peppers has going for him is that he still has big games coming up against Michigan State and Ohio State. So he’ll have chances to make a statement down the line in those big games that will have a lot of implications on whether or not Michigan is invited to the Playoff.
“So, right now, he’s right there in the thick of things. I would say he’s one of the top five guys and so he’ll have a chance now with the remaining part of the season to really solidify himself as one of the favorites.”
Peppers has lined up at at least 13 different positions for Michigan during his career — throughout the secondary, all over special teams and at quarterback, running back and multiple receiving positions. He has affected games in all three phases for the Wolverines, and the coaching staff is so excited about his dynamic versatility coaches can’t stop adding more to his workload.
That’s where Peppers maybe has Woodson beat, he thinks — his athleticism, and his offensive production. Woodson had 21 receptions for 370 yards and three touchdowns, and nine carries for 167 yards and one punt return for a touchdown during his Michigan career.
To compare, with five regular-season games left in his junior year: Peppers has nine receptions for 84 yards, and 28 carries for 179 yards and four touchdowns, plus a punt return for a touchdown. Coaches rave about not only Peppers’ football IQ, but also his speed — “He's able to go 0 to 100 faster than most people,” linebackers coach Chris Partridge put it.
“I don't have a Heisman or a national championship yet, but I can say that I might edge him a little on athleticism,” Peppers said. “Other than that, there's no comparison.”