Kiper ranks Jabrill Peppers No. 1 safety in draft
Michigan’s versatile Jabrill Peppers might not fit into every defensive coordinator’s dream scenario, but ESPN analyst Mel Kiper has no doubt he will be a top pick in the NFL draft.
Peppers, a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, winner of the Hornung Award for the most versatile player in the game and the Big Ten’s triple-award winner as top defensive player, linebacker and specialist, has not yet declared whether he will pursue the NFL after this season.
But in the likelihood he will move to the next level, Kiper has Peppers, who played a hybrid-linebacker role this fall among this many positions – he also played on offense and returned kicks – ranked as the No. 1 safety, just ahead of LSU’s Jamal Adams.
“Every defensive coordinator, he’s not going to fit what they’re doing,” Kiper said Thursday on an ESPN NFL draft conference call. “There are going to be some in the league that are gonna say, ‘Ah, that’s too high to put him up in the top five, top 10,’ others are going to say, ‘Hey, he’s Deone Bucannon, he’s perfect for what we want.’
“There’s a role in certain defenses with Peppers that won’t be with others. This is going to be a case some will (like Peppers), some won’t, because he’s not going to fit what everybody does and they won’t be able to creatively find a way to maximize all that talent. I still think he’s in the top-10, top-15 overall, but if you talk to certain people they might say that’s too high and it would be for that reason.”
Michigan cornerback Jourdan Lewis, recently voted the Big Ten’s top defensive back, is not rated among Kiper’s top five at the position but still is projected as a potential first-round selection.
“Lewis has been a steady, consistent player,” Kiper said. “Does he have some of the wow factor that some of the other kids do? I didn’t see that. I have him sixth right now at corner. Right now I would say Lewis has a chance to be first-round pick. I’m anxious to see what he runs and how he tests. You could have a lot of corners going in Round 1. He’s certainly one of those (candidates).”
Michigan co-captain Jake Butt is part of a competitive tight end draft class, and Kiper believes how he runs will determine his draft status.
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Butt has said he knows he’s not a speed demon.
“I don’t think anyone would say I’m a blazer,” Butt said earlier this year. “But I think the big thing -- I know how to get open. I know how to use my body. I came into school not the fastest, not the strongest, (but) I’ve learned a little bit of tricks of the trade on how to win with technique and everything like that.”
Kiper said Butt’s 40 time will be important.
“It’s a lot of competition at tight end this year,” Kiper said Thursday. “A lot of tight ends. What he runs will determine whether he’s second-round pick or he drops to the fourth-round area.”
Michigan has a lot of talent on the defensive line, and Kiper singled out Taco Charlton and Ryan Glasgow. He likes how Charlton finished the season against Ohio State with nine tackles and 2.5 sacks.
“Charlton could be in the late first- / early second-round discussion and Glasgow I have a third-round grade on now,” he said.
Receivers Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson will be drafted about the same spot.
“Darboh came through and made the big plays (but) he had some drops,” Kiper said. “Chesson started off higher than Darboh and Darboh fell back and Chesson moved ahead. Both those kids are going to play in the NFL. Darboh right now with his speed and the way he played this year, although he had some inconsistency and had a few drops. I think he goes in that third-round mix and Chesson shortly after. Both are similar in terms of grade.”
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