Kornacki: Peppers is Exceptional But Here's Why
9/8/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 8, 2016
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- What is it about Jabrill Peppers that allows him to play so many positions so well without missing a beat?
He can run like a deer and hit like a Mack Truck. But he can out-think and out-work opponents, too, and absorbed pretty much the entire Wolverine playbook with his photographic memory. He has abilities so unique that Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh compares him to only one other player -- Andrew Luck.
Peppers, sitting in a leather chair on the second floor of Schembechler Hall after a practice this week, was provided Harbaugh's theory on what makes him great:
"I've always thought that NFL players are the greatest athletes in the world, and I truly believe that Jabrill Peppers has that opportunity to be one of the greatest athletes in the world. Combine that with the passion he has for the game, the passion he has to be great, the seriousness he has to get better, the work ethic and ultimately the competiveness that he has, and he has a fire for ... he's motivated. He's seen some things from an early age. He's had people hate on him, show hatred toward him, and without going into it, he has used that as motivation.
"So, all of those things combined are a powerful combination just as a man. That can explode into a great man, and all the dreams he has are so very realistic."
Peppers, a second-team All-American and Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2015, let the words of his coach sink in before smiling.
"That definitely means a lot to me because his track record speaks for itself," said Peppers. "With all the NFL guys that he's coached and all the collegiate guys that he's coached, him saying these things definitely makes me feel good.
"I just have to keep going and keep improving. No matter how well he talks about me, I feel there's still room for improvement, still room for me to get better. If there comes a day that I feel I'm not getting better, then, like M.J. (Michael Jordan) said, that's when it's time to walk away. But it's definitely motivation. At the end of the day, I've just got to keep improving. I know what my weaknesses are; I know I'm not all there yet.
"But one thing I do know is that I'm a very bright football player as far as IQ-wise, and as far as my intelligence in general, and I work hard. Things just didn't happen overnight. So, I've just got to keep goals, and keep getting better and better."
Harbaugh said he's come across only two players with the ability to absorb and apply football knowledge quickly and at the highest level: Peppers and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Luck, whom he coached and developed at Stanford. Harbaugh said that -- despite the fact that Peppers, listed as a linebacker, has played virtually every position on the field except for the offensive line and defensive line interior -- there's no need to simplify things for him:
"No, I don't have to keep it simple. He proved that last year. I've seen very few athletes with the ability that when you show it to them on the white board or show him a clip, he will go right out to the practice field and do it better than anyone on the team. He's one of those rare guys.
"Andrew Luck was an athlete who had that kind of mind. You just had to tell him and he could do it. You could tell him midway through practice and Andrew would do it right. We told Jabrill in practice and he goes from defense to tailback without even a walk-through rep or a study in practice to execute it better than you thought. Those two guys are the only two I can think of who have the sharpness of mind and athletic ability. Because it takes real supreme athletic ability to take something somebody gives you and just do it. That's off the charts."
Being compared to Luck was special.
"That is amazing," Peppers said, "but I've always been like that. I have a very, very good memory. You rarely have to tell me twice, and you barely have to tell me once."
He chuckled and nodded his head.
I asked Peppers if he had a photographic memory, something only one quarter of one percent of Americans possess, according to www.answers.com via WikiAnswers.
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"Yes, I do," Peppers said.
How did he discover that?
"In elementary school, I would have a cheat sheet for tests," Peppers said. "But I didn't need it because the first time I looked at it, I had it. I didn't need to study it again. It's funny, but that's how I discovered it.
"Now, it's not like I can read (numerous book) pages at a time and remember it all. But if I analyze something, I can remember it, and it stays there."
Brian Smith, who joined Michigan's coaching staff this season and works primarily with the safeties, noticed that gift immediately.
"In camp," said Smith, "the way he picked up things quickly, I was surprised."
Peppers got off to a quick start in the season opening win Saturday (Sept. 3) against Hawaii. He threw tailback Diocemy Saint Juste to the ground like a sack of potatoes for no gain on the game's first play, later sacked the quarterback, made another tackle behind the line of scrimmage, de-cleated a player and finished with 7.5 tackles while patrolling the entire field.
That's why Harbaugh calls him "the Willie Mays of football," and Andy Staples of Sports Illustrated referred to him as "a human Swiss Army knife."
Peppers also returned two punts, both for 14 yards, though one of them was considerably longer before a penalty shortened its official length. He hurdled Hawaii punter Rigoberto Sanchez on that return before going out of bounds.
"You think you've seen it all from him," said Michigan defensive tackle Ryan Glasgow, "and then he hurdles a guy who is standing straight up. You don't see that every day."
Peppers laughed when it was brought up, recalling a punt return last year at Minnesota, when punter Peter Mortell saved a touchdown by tackling Peppers and limiting him to a 41-yard return.
"It was a spur of the moment thing," Peppers said of hurdling. "I thought he was going to try to take my legs out, and I saw in my peripheral there was another big guy coming. So, I'd rather take my chances with the kicker.
"I just wasn't going to let another punter tackle me. It still haunts me. They always make fun of me (for that), and as my mom said: 'Do not get tackled by any more punters, kickers.' "
Every play is an adventure for Peppers, who goes places which few, if any, college players can visit. He makes an impact in countless ways, with peers too few to count.
Peppers, from Paramus (New Jersey) Catholic, is doing it all for his "dream" school.
"I grew up a Michigan fan," said Peppers. "Everything about the tradition ... You know, when I put on the winged helmet, it's my escape. I'm doing what I love to do with people I love to play this game with. It's a tremendous feeling, playing for a team that you dreamed of.
"I remember asking my cousin, 'Are those wings on the helmet?' That's what caught my eye when I was younger, but then I started doing my research. And when I learned more about the players and the tradition, and how great the University is, I told my cousin, 'I'm going to play in that winged helmet one day.'
"It wasn't attainable at the time, but when we're young we all have dreams. So, I dreamed of doing it. And now that I'm here, it's still surreal. But when I'm out there, I still have fun and keep the excitement to a minimum so I don't psyche myself out. It's just surreal."
Saturday's game atmosphere enhanced that sensation. Jordan was an honorary captain on the day Michigan debuted in his Nike Jumpman uniforms. New York Yankees great Derek Jeter, who studied at Michigan and is a huge Wolverines fan, also was on the field before the game with 1997 Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson and 2006 Lombardi Award winner LaMarr Woodley.
"I didn't want to think about all of that too much because I was playing in a game," said Peppers, "but I saw a picture afterward (on Twitter) of Michael Jordan and Derek Jeter watching me warm up. I was like, 'Wow, two of the greatest at their respective sports were watching me warm up in the Big House.'
"It's all surreal at times, but I'm just happy to be here, and I'm just going to keep improving and keep getting better."
Cool photo for @JabrillPeppers: Michael Jordan and Derek Jeter watch him and Michigan warm up. pic.twitter.com/gQtecPFunx
-- Brad Galli (@BradGalli) September 4, 2016
