2017 NFL Draft KC Chiefs Scouting Report: Jabrill Peppers

The 2017 NFL Draft has some great defensive players ready to join an NFL team. Could Jabrill Peppers of Michigan become the next big time safety of the KC Chiefs?

While safety might not seem like a major need for the Kansas City Chiefs right now, keep in mind that Eric Berry coming back isn’t a guarantee. Berry has been quoted saying that he won’t play under the franchise tag, though I have a feeling if tagged, he’d still play rather than sit out for an entire season. (Link courtesy of Wesley Roesch of Chiefs Wire).

Berry signing elsewhere would leave a huge hole on this team in the secondary and the Chiefs would definitely have to consider drafting his replacement early on in the 2017 NFL Draft.

That replacement could come in the form of Jabrill Peppers, a standout safety at Michigan.

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Peppers, the 2016 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, is coming off three years with Michigan football. After only seeing the field in three games during his freshman year in 2014, Peppers broke out onto the scene during his sophomore and junior seasons.

Peppers had 119 tackles (18.5 for loss), 11 defended passes, three sacks, and one interception. The Wolverine also spent time at the running back position, rushing for 239 yards and five touchdowns during his Michigan career.

While Peppers being a part-time running back is cool, don’t expect that to stick if he were to be drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs (though running back is a need as well).

Those weren’t Jabrill Pepper’s only two positions though. He actually spent his final season at Michigan as a linebacker, meaning he’s spent time at three different positions and he’s only 21.

CBS Sports even went as far as to call him “the most celebrated player at Michigan since the great Charles Woodson“. That’s quite the compliment.

Peppers was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, placing fifth. The fact that he was able to be there as a defensive player says wonders about just how talented Peppers is on the gridiron.

As for whether this is a realistic pick for the Kansas City Chiefs, I think it could be. Safeties aren’t typically in high demand in the first round of the draft, and with other top safety prospects like Malik Hooker and Jamal Adams, Peppers could fall towards the end of the first round or even the early part of the second round.

Next: Ranking Every Chiefs Game from 2016 Season

This would be a great pick for the Chiefs, but if it happens, it’d also likely mean that Eric Berry was deciding to sign with another team. So… It’d be a bittersweet pick in other words.

What do you make of Jabrill Peppers, Chiefs Kingdom? Would you be down for using the first round pick of the 2017 NFL Draft on him?

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