NFL Comp for Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers: Tyrann Mathieu

Jabrill Peppers is without a doubt one of the most diverse players lining up for the Michigan Wolverines or any other college football team this year.

But where will he fit in on Sundays?

That’s a question NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein attempts to answer by assessing Peppers’ strengths, weaknesses and his closest NFL comp.

The strengths are obvious, most notably Peppers’ versatility. he can match up in man coverage against slot receivers and he can play safety to help out over the top. He can also play near the line of scrimmage against a pro-style offense.

Weaknesses? Mostly size.

The biggest weakness for Peppers right now is his size (6-foot-1, 205 pounds, per school measurements). Peppers has the size to be a combination safety who can spend some time in the box. However, if he's going to be asked to make a living around the line of scrimmage full-time whenever he enters the pros, he will need more bulk and muscle on his frame.

Peppers also still hasn’t recorded an interception or fumble recovery, and has just one forced fumble in his college career so far.

Zierlein concludes that the closest NFL comp isn’t Charles Woodson, at least not yet. Instead, it’s the Honey Badger.

How about Tyrann Mathieu? Sure, this is based off of aggressive projections, but Peppers has the physical talent and potential diversity of impact that could lead him on the same trail as the Arizona Cardinals' defensive back. Peppers is bigger than the Honey Badger and also lacks Mathieu's playmaking resume, but both players excelled on special teams in college and both are important chess pieces for their defensive coordinators. It's a high-end comp now, but a clean comp to Mathieu is an attainable goal for Peppers based on what he's capable of doing on the field.