From his seamless transition to linebacker, to his team being undefeated, to his darkhorse Heisman Trophy candidacy, Jabrill Peppers hasn't had much to complain about this season.
And there's no reason for the Michigan star to complain about this, either: An NFC personnel executive has projected him as a top-five draft choice and compared him to former Pittsburgh Steelers star Troy Polamalu.
"He's a top five pick in my mind," the executive told NJ.com. "He's unbelievable. He's the most versatile player I've ever scouted. He does it all for (Michigan). I think at our level, he's a safety, he reminds me of Troy Polamalu. I don't think I'd use him on offense. He could be a good return man for you, though. What he is, is just a phenomenal athlete. But he's more than that, because he's tough and he's smart, too."
Another NFL scout compared the versatile Peppers to former NFL star Charles Woodson, who retired after last season, while a third scout holds the redshirt sophomore in higher regard than the Jacksonville Jaguars' 2016 first-round pick, Jalen Ramsey.
"He's better than Jalen Ramsey, so there's that," the scout said. "He's a safety, but you can match him up if you want. He can take on the better tight ends, Jordan Reed man to man. You can put him in the slot. You can blitz him, play him deep. He's going to be a difference maker for a defense.''
NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein has compared Peppers to Arizona Cardinals star Tyrann Mathieu.
Ramsey, from Florida State, was the No. 5 overall pick by Jacksonville. Ramsey's ability to play multiple positions in the secondary was among the driving factors in his draft value. At the college level, Peppers has been even more versatile than Ramsey, playing throughout the secondary last year, but more at linebacker this season, along with return duties and occasional action on offense.
Peppers could be eligible for the 2017 NFL Draft if he applies for and is granted early draft eligibility after the season.
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