Twitter: The Fan Draft Board - Broaddus, Cavanaugh, Turner (By Position)

[jterrell]

There is a good breakdown on this which describes the role he was asked to take as a LB. Basically he was in a zone without a lot of help because they blitzed a lot. In man coverage he was more than up to the task.

Stats without context are meaningless particularly football coverage stats.

that was one season.... he played 10 different positions as a Wolverine.
he just wasn't good in coverage.


lotsa man coverage woes there. especially the man coverage TD he gave up looking clueless vs Penn St.

making statements that are untrue is meaningless.

 

[jterrell]

that was one season.... he played 10 different positions as a Wolverine.
he just wasn't good in coverage.


lotsa man coverage woes there. especially the man coverage TD he gave up looking clueless vs Penn St.

making statements that are untrue is meaningless.

so again to be clear, he is a massive upside guy who you are going to have to project at an NFL position and then teach him skills there.
if it works he could be legitimately great.
if not he's a WLB.
watching an entire game he is an R1 worthy football player.
watching him solely as a SS he is not.

 

[Trouty]

I'd be all over Peppers if he falls to us. He's a SS, not a FS. Chancellor has 2 seasons of 0 ints and a season with one. Granted, he (Kam) has 12 over his career, but we need a SS who can lay the wood -- play smart, true, and sound D, and paired with Byron, he'll be able to do that.

 

[jterrell]

I'd be all over Peppers if he falls to us. He's a SS, not a FS. Chancellor has 2 seasons of 0 ints and a season with one. Granted, he (Kam) has 12 over his career, but we need a SS who can lay the wood -- play smart, true, and sound D, and paired with Byron, he'll be able to do that.

that's a very fair take.
but you also should note kam played safety 4 years in college and had 6 INTs then went round 5 because he had coverage issues.

i think peppers is an equivalent player at safety to jj wilcox. hard hitting, athletic, position change guy.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

that was one season.... he played 10 different positions as a Wolverine.
he just wasn't good in coverage.


lotsa man coverage woes there. especially the man coverage TD he gave up looking clueless vs Penn St.

making statements that are untrue is meaningless.

I prefer this breakdown.

 

[Trouty]

that's a very fair take.
but you also should note kam played safety 4 years in college and had 6 INTs then went round 5 because he had coverage issues.

i think peppers is an equivalent player at safety to jj wilcox. hard hitting, athletic, position change guy.

You'd grade him with a ceiling of that of Wilcox, J?

You don't think Peppers has the brains to develop more instinctual cuts and angles on the ball (soft hands, or lack there of, aside)?

 

[GhostOfPelluer]

My thing is I don't know what Peppers can and can't do at safety. Nobody does because he really hasn't played there. With this many good defensive players available - players that would undoubtedly be upgrades for us - you don't take the risk.

If we were set on defense and were looking for a potential home run, or if there weren't many true upgrades available, I'd have no issues picking him. But you don't go boom/bust when we are potentially 2-3 defensive upgrades from a title.

 

[RJ_MacReady]

First off, thanks for posting, Speedkillz.

They have Humphrey as a SS? Am I reading that correctly?

I'm surprised that they have Awuzie that low. No way does that kid last to our pick 60.

Glad that Melifonwu is being B-slapped into his rightful ranking here (and he shouldn't even be in the same tier with a true SS like Josh Jones...so one is out of place, still..). Honestly, I don't believe any team is picking Obi in the 1st round...not a chance.

 

[Primetime42]

His athleticism alone means he's better than a 4th round safety. This is just a guy trying to out think himself here. I could understand saying Peppers might be a 2nd round guy but 4th? LOL.

We already had one of those. He just signed with the Bucs.

 

[jterrell]

I prefer this breakdown.

that breakdown is the 2nd I've watched by that guy.
the first was when he suggested Myles Jack would be all-world.
so i've now disagreed heavily with both his pieces,
he's an amateur on the internet much like me except of course i did play D1 safety....

 

[Sydla]

LOL at claiming Peppers is basically Wilcox.

 

[jterrell]

You'd grade him with a ceiling of that of Wilcox, J?

You don't think Peppers has the brains to develop more instinctual cuts and angles on the ball (soft hands, or lack there of, aside)?

No, not the ceiling Wilcox reached but the ceiling JJ had coming out. Wilcox was very slow to learn the intricacies of the position and the schemes.
Peppers seems much more able to pick things up given his penchant for playing all over the field.
I think Peppers could be a Pro Bowler for you for sure.
But he also could struggle as a rookie at SS and even end up moved to Will.
He is a football player for sure and I can see why people like him but he doesn't fit any into specific box which is why scouts are right to question his exact fit imho.
NFL teams can't use him the way Michigan did so it's a bit of a leap of faith.

 

[Trouty]

that breakdown is the 2nd I've watched by that guy.
the first was when he suggested Myles Jack would be all-world.
so i've now disagreed heavily with both his pieces,
he's an amateur on the internet much like me except of course i did play D1 safety....

He did fantastic ones on Gregory and Jaylon, too, J.

Not everyone is always right, but he he does a hell of a job with (video) production and backing his evaluation of the player

 

[Trouty]

No, not the ceiling Wilcox reached but the ceiling JJ had coming out. Wilcox was very slow to learn the intricacies of the position and the schemes.
Peppers seems much more able to pick things up given his penchant for playing all over the field.
I think Peppers could be a Pro Bowler for you for sure.
But he also could struggle as a rookie at SS and even end up moved to Will.
He is a football player for sure and I can see why people like him but he doesn't fit any into specific box which is why scouts are right to question his exact fit imho.
NFL teams can't use him the way Michigan did so it's a bit of a leap of faith.

Fair enough, J. Thanks for the feedback, brother.

 

[jterrell]

LOL at claiming Peppers is basically Wilcox.

Wilcox:
Former RB
6' 213 pounds.
4.57 40
35" vert
17 bench reps
4.09 20 yard shuttle
124" Broad Jump

Peppers:
Part-time RB
5'11" 213 pounds
4.46 40
35.5" vert
19 bench reps
128" Broad jump

Peppers weaknesses take from NFL.com which sound like a JJ Wilcox scouting report his first couple seasons.
Weaknesses
Scouts question his instincts and lack of ball production. Has just one interception and 10 passes defensed at Michigan. Slow to recognize construct of play and can be found playing through a straw at times. Needs better recognition and anticipation to become an improvising play-maker. Doesn't always trust his feet in coverage and will maul at the top of the route. Just a guy when asked to play deep safety. Slow to read and range until ball is in the air. Can be overzealous against play-action and drawn below his deep ball responsibilities. Too small for take-on duties at linebacker. Leads into tackles with ducked head. Opts to hit rather than wrap-up.

 

[jterrell]

He did fantastic ones on Gregory and Jaylon, too, J.

Not everyone is always right, but he he does a hell of a job with (video) production and backing his evaluation of the player

The videos and clips are very well done.
And I've only seen the two because they are so long and intricate which is a plus for him.
But I have had serious pause with the actual analysis I've seen in the two I watched.

I suggested this time last year Myles Jack was the most overrated prospect in the draft class. Thought he was an area guy but not a physical tackler or football player.
And for Jax as a rookie he had like 28 total tackles.
He could develop of course and has a very high ceiling but there's no way he was walking in as a Sean Lee type guy as a rookie because he just didn't seem to hit people.

All that said I've wrong as much if not more than most. Some of it is guessing and some is unknown to us as laymen amateurs without contacts inside college teams.

FWIW I thought Randy Gregory was the most overrated prospect in his draft class as well.

 

[Trouty]

The videos and clips are very well done.
And I've only seen the two because they are so long and intricate which is a plus for him.
But I have had serious pause with the actual analysis I've seen in the two I watched.

I suggested this time last year Myles Jack was the most overrated prospect in the draft class. Thought he was an area guy but not a physical tackler or football player.
And for Jax as a rookie he had like 28 total tackles.
He could develop of course and has a very high ceiling but there's no way he was walking in as a Sean Lee type guy as a rookie because he just didn't seem to hit people.

All that said I've wrong as much if not more than most. Some of it is guessing and some is unknown to us as laymen amateurs without contacts inside college teams.

FWIW I thought Randy Gregory was the most overrated prospect in his draft class as well.

Watch his Gregory vid, J. It'll shed some light on his rush defense for you (emphasis on that, since we all knew he could rush the passer).

Gregory flashed real nice last season in his two games. As he did in his first against NY in '15. If he can stay away from the ganj, I think we have a true blue chip end in him (also, assuming he's still training and hitting the weight room during this current sabbatical).

 

[Sydla]

Wilcox:
Former RB
6' 213 pounds.
4.57 40
35" vert
17 bench reps
4.09 20 yard shuttle
124" Broad Jump

Peppers:
Part-time RB
5'11" 213 pounds
4.46 40
35.5" vert
19 bench reps
128" Broad jump

Peppers weaknesses take from NFL.com which sound like a JJ Wilcox scouting report his first couple seasons.
Weaknesses
Scouts question his instincts and lack of ball production. Has just one interception and 10 passes defensed at Michigan. Slow to recognize construct of play and can be found playing through a straw at times. Needs better recognition and anticipation to become an improvising play-maker. Doesn't always trust his feet in coverage and will maul at the top of the route. Just a guy when asked to play deep safety. Slow to read and range until ball is in the air. Can be overzealous against play-action and drawn below his deep ball responsibilities. Too small for take-on duties at linebacker. Leads into tackles with ducked head. Opts to hit rather than wrap-up.

Well for one, your stats show that Peppers tested better than Wilcox. Watching them, you can see Peppers is also a better athlete than Wilcox. Wilcox wasn't a return guy, Peppers is.

You won't find a scout in football who would claim Peppers is basically Wilcox.

I know you don't like him, but geez.............

 

[jterrell]

Watch his Gregory vid, J. It'll shed some light on his rush defense for you (emphasis on that, since we all knew he could rush the passer).

Gregory flashed real nice last season in his two games. As he did in his first against NY in '15. If he can stay away from the ganj, I think we have a true blue chip end in him (also, assuming he's still training and hitting the weight room during this current sabbatical).

I watched Gregory a lot in college as we were badly in need of DE help and he was considered one of the best.
He would make an incredible play or 3 then go invisible.
He would literally disappear.
That's the problem with cut ups and high-light tapes as opposed to every play of the game looks.
I saw Gregory straight punished in the running game as a college DE (he literally gave up) and saw him flat whip 1st round OT as well.
He flashed last year yes after gaining 20+ pounds.
That's why he was never really worth a top 15 pick; he needed 20+ pounds because he couldn't really play OLB in a 3-4.

If the analysis suggested he was elite then that's another strike against him as an analyst for me.

But I agree with you that by year 3 or 4 he could be really, really good.
And I was glad we got him where did in the draft which was more in line with his talent then the R1 pick where he was projected.

I absolutely loved Jaylon Smith. He was everything you want in a LB. Was very excited Dallas drafted him and think he has the potential to be the best player out of that draft class in 5 years if the leg is healthy.

 

[jterrell]

Well for one, your stats show that Peppers tested better than Wilcox. Watching them, you can see Peppers is also a better athlete than Wilcox. Wilcox wasn't a return guy, Peppers is.

You won't find a scout in football who would claim Peppers is basically Wilcox.

I know you don't like him, but geez.............

I am trying to be a calmer, more reasonable poster but stuff like this tests me....
Wilcox was a WR, slot back, RB, kick RETURNER, Safety and more in college.
SOUND FAMILIAR??

He tested yes, SLIGHTLY worse than Peppers in almost an IDENTICAL frame.