Jabrill Peppers Welcomes an Expanded Role
Jabrill Peppers just wants to play ball.
Seriously, line him up at safety. Put him in the slot cornerback role. Line him up on the offense. Let him return punts. It doesn’t matter where you put the 24-year old New Jersey native; he’s all about making something happen.
“I'll do whatever it takes to win,” Peppers said during a video conference call with reporters Friday.
Peppers is no stranger to being asked to fill multiple roles. He primarily lined up on defense at the University of Michigan, filling roles as a safety, cornerback, and linebacker in the defense. In three seasons, he logged 119 tackles, 18.5 tackles for a loss, three sacks, one interception, and 11 passes defensed.
He also returned kickoffs and punts, averaging 26.8 yards on kick returns and 13.1 yards on punt returns with one return for a touchdown.
If all that wasn’t enough, Peppers dabbled a bit with the rushing and passing games, recording 45 rushing attempts for 239 yards and five touchdowns, and ten receptions for 82 yards. And for good measure, he even attempted a pass during his sophomore season that fell incomplete.
In three NFL seasons, Peppers has been limited to the defensive side of the ball and on special teams, the latter where he’s expected to play as big of a role this year as he is on defense.
That’s precisely what head coach Joe Judge wants to see out of all his players, a love for the game as a whole, and a willingness to do whatever it takes, even if it means stepping outside their comfort level.
“I think one thing specifically on Jabrill is the versatility he brings to you,” Judge said Thursday. “He’s a guy that obviously plays a large number of roles for us on defense. He’s also handled core roles on coverage units, he’s been a returner in the past. He’s a guy that loves football.”
To that end, Judge said he wouldn’t be afraid to use Peppers on the offensive side of the ball, given how diverse his talents are.
“Yeah, I wouldn’t limit anything we would do with Jabrill, to be honest with you,” Judge said. “If he can add something to our team, whether it’s a situational play, whether it’s a full-time player in a certain area of the field, absolutely. Anyone that can help the team, I have no problem doing it.”
Judge is no stranger to having coached players who lien up on both sides of the ball. He did so in New England with Julian Edelman, a receiver by trade who played the nickel on the defense in the last drive of the AFC Championship Game in 2011 and who also returned punts and covered kicks.
“One of the phrases that we use with the players all the time is ‘The more you can do,’” Judge said. “The more you can do, the more valuable you are to the team.”
Peppers’ willingness to do more and more is a big reason he recognized a career-long dream of being voted a team captain by his teammates. Peppers will be one of two special teams captains, alongside Nate Ebner, for Judge and the Giants this year.
“Yeah, I think that’s reflective when the team voted on captains, why he got such a large number of votes,” Judge said.
“Really on special teams, that’s a great way of really showing it’s not just the offense or the defense, but that bridges across all avenues of the team and the units.”
Peppers, whose option year in his rookie contract was picked up by the Giants earlier this spring, called his selection as a team captain “one of the highest honors in football,” especially because the vote of confidence came from his teammates.
“I take great pride in that. I know what it means to wear that 'C' on your chest, especially here in New York. I'm going to do my due diligence to make sure I abide by that,” he said.
Well, that and show up ready to get to work in whatever role the coaches need him for, including returning punts for special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey
“I'm ready to accept the challenge,” Peppers said. “I'm ready to do what I can help this team win ball games.”
