There's considerable debate with how Jabrill Peppers may best be deployed in the NFL, but on Sunday the former Wolverine showed athleticism to go around.
Peppers, who won the 2016 Paul Hornug Award as the nation's most versatile player, participated in on-field drills with linebackers at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine. He told NFL Media's Mike Mayock and Rich Eisen that he had been preparing to work out with defensive backs on Monday.
Turns out, Peppers' time in the 40-yard dash of 4.46 seconds, was faster than some speedy safeties in past years who have established themselves in the NFL, including Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Tyrann Mathieu and Earl Thomas.
Mayock and Bucky Brooks each ranked Peppers as their No. 3 safety in pre-combine position rankings.
Peppers performed well in other drills and even hammed it up for the cameras by executing a superfluous cartwheel-into-a-backflip.
Here are the top performers:
40-yard dash
Combine position record: Jon Alston, Stanford, 4.40 seconds in 2006
- Jabrill Peppers, Michigan, 4.46
- Duke Riley, LSU, 4.58
- Raekwon McMillan, Ohio State, 4.61
- Alex Anzalone, Florida, 4.63
5t. Tyus Bowser, Houston, 4.65
5t. Blair Brown, Ohio, 4.65
Bench press (225 pounds)
Combine position record: Ronnell Lewis, Oklahoma, 36 reps in 2012
- Ben Gedeon, Michigan, 27
- Marquel Lee, Wake Forest, 25
3t. JoJo Mathis, Washington, 24
3t. Matt Milano, Boston College, 24
5t. Keith Kelsey, Louisville, 23
5t. Raekwon McMillan, Ohio State, 23
Broad jump
Combine position record: Jamie Collins, Southern Miss, 11 feet, 7 inches in 2013
1t. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan, 10-8
1t. T.J. Watt, Wisconsin, 10-8
- Tyus Bowser, Houston, 10-7
- Matt Milano, Boston College, 10-6
- Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt, 10-5
Vertical jump
Combine position record: Roger McIntosh, Miami, 42.5 inches in 2006
- Tyus Bowser, Houston, 37.5
2t. Blair Brown, Ohio, 37
2t. T.J. Watt, Wisconsin, 37
- Jabrill Peppers, Michigan, 35.5
5t. Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt, 35
5t. Matt Milano, Boston College, 35
3-cone drill
Combine position record: Cody Grimm, Virginia Tech, 6.58 seconds in 2010
- Tyus Bowser, Houston, 6.75
- T.J. Watt, Wisconsin, 6.79
- Brooks Ellis, Arkansas, 6.80
- Alex Anzalone, Florida, 6.88
- Duke Riley, LSU, 6.89
20-yard shuttle
Combine position record: A.J. Hawk, Ohio State, 3.96 seconds in 2006
- Ben Gedeon, Michigan, 4.13
(tied) T.J. Watt, Wisconsin, 4.13
- Blair Brown, Ohio, 4.18
- Duke Riley, LSU, 4.21
- Alex Anzalone, Florida, 4.25
(tied) Brooks Ellis, Arkansas, 4.25
- Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt, 4.29
60-yard shuttle
Combine position record: Ben Heeney, Kansas, 11.06 seconds in 2015
- T.J. Watt, Wisconsin, 11.20
- Brooks Ellis, Arkansas, 11.28
- Ben Gedeon, Michigan, 11.58
- Alex Anzalone, Florida, 11.71
- Connor Harris, Lindenwood, 11.84
Defensive backs will conclude the workouts Monday.
