NFL Network analyst: Jabrill Peppers had more impressive combine than Myles Garrett, John Ross
Cover your eyes, Jabrill Peppers haters.
NFL Network analyst Charles Davis offered up an opinion that’s sure to fire up those who aren’t sold on the All-American.
Davis went on “The Rich Eisen Show” on Tuesday to talk about his takeaways from the weekend in Indianapolis. The first question he was asked was the show’s poll question for the day.
Who had the most impressive combine performance? Myles Garrett, John Ross, Jabrill Peppers, Christian McCaffrey or Deshaun Watson?
“Jabrill Peppers because he did it twice,” Davis said. “The way he did it with the humor, the joy…Rich, what I thought you guys brought out of him in the interview and seeing him already…A lot of kids would’ve been like, ‘Well, I’m not a linebacker. Why am I here having to do this? I’m a defensive back.’
“He could’ve been surly, he could’ve been ticked off, but he was like, ‘Ok, that’s what I have to do.’ And he did it. Now all of those other guys were impressive, but putting it all together, give me Peppers.”
Peppers said that he had to do the linebacker drills because that was what he played last at Michigan, but he had been preparing for the combine as a safety. That led to him performing with both position groups on two separate days, which was supposedly unprecedented in terms of playing linebacker and defensive back.
That’s still saying a lot considering Garrett had what many felt was one of the better combine performances ever. And Ross set the all-time record in the 40-yard dash with a 4.22.
Peppers did record a 4.46-second 40-yard dash, which was 0.12 seconds better than all the linebackers. He also recorded a 35 1/2-inch vertical and a 128-inch broad jump.
The next question, of course, is where Peppers will be selected. While nobody is doubting his physical abilities, his limited time playing safety in college led some to predict that he’ll be a project and not a sure-fire Day 1 starter.
Whatever the case, Peppers certainly didn’t hurt himself in Indianapolis.