How many teams can claim the fastest player on their team is a linebacker? The better question is, how many shutdown defensive backs can step in at linebacker and immediately fill a gapping void? The answer to both questions is one.
Like others, I am excited to see Peppers in this scheme - I am hoping that we see a lot of runs cut tragically short by Peppers really. We've probably seen only a glimpse of his football potential, he is just that versatile, and that is one of the major reasons I think the next few years should be fun.
If he is anywhere near the level he's been hyped up to be, i don't think it will be a fun "next few years" with him. This will be his last year as a college player.
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Devils Advocate here. Peppers is a very good player, potentially great. However, his defensive numbers last year were decent at best. Solid tackler, decent in coverage but no picks. Offensively is where he had the most impact, however his touches were limited.
Based on that, i cant agree that Pepp is #5 in college football. Potentially great player, but lets be honest...he is a bit overhyped as well (at this point).
Pehaps his on-field production will equal or exceed his #5 ranking this season. I hope that it will. However, right now this #5 ranking is based mostly on potential.
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Yep, his #'s weren't great overall but he made lots of big play tackles or PBUs, big punt returns when it counted. The Minnesota game jumps to mind cause I just rewatched it on B10 network. He was one make him miss tackle from a punt return TD. That would have given him offensive & special teams TDs plus a bunch of big plays on D. If you watch the games he undoubtedly stands out as a tremendous player.
I love to argue for my opinion of other stated bad opinion Cover Zero. Except for King from Iowa, all of these skill players are offense in the top ten right? Put Peppers on offense full time and no reps on defense then. Now take the rest of these offensive weapons and put them in the same defense, offense and special teams amount of plays as Peppers and see how they fare. I think you'll see one young man at the top comfortably. All of the others play one spot basiclaly right? Don't get me wrong, all of these kids are great talent but they can't do what Peppers can, does do and will do. It's fact.
If it is based on potential then yeah Peppers is top 5. Probably top 2 if you consider what potential actually can mean. If I had to start out a team from scratch, could only take three of the ten and not needing any definite position groups, I'm taking Garrett, Peppers and Watson. That team would win alot!
Kinda harsh arent you?
But I think it's a matter of playing 100% too often. Take the punt return vs. Minny for example. He was taken down by a lesser player and it didn't need to be. All he would have had to do was set him up a bit by a change of pace and gaining some type of angle so he wouldn't have had to just sprint forward. It's the proper thing to do upon receiving the ball, but you have to set your run up within the first second and after than make split second decisions.
There was that pass vs. Rutgers(?) maybe, that hit him right in the chest at the l.o. s. Well no one in the stadium, especially he and the qb ,thought the ball would be his for the taking, but it shows how damn scary he is to opposing players. Then there was another pck he jumped and had in his hands but dropped as well as a K.O return he could have taken to the house on another occasion.
I am in agreement with you because he did not do that which could have been done there might be others better suited for the first 5 spots, although I don't think I, personally, am taking four players before him. And if he does make those plays, not really unexpected in his second full season, he gets the nod easily.
I think, too, you might have forgotten how short the field the offenses were given last season due to his fair catching ability at full speed. He'd judge the ball, as you will recall,and running full speed, manage to catch it just as it was about to hit the ground, thus preventing any roll for the opposition and saved us chunk yardage by doing so. No one else in college ball did this, and no one else had to share return duties like Peppers did with Chesson and Lewis, both acquitting themsleves greatly, with Jehu taking one to the house.
However, he could have been resting due to all the other positions he played and like I said those two did a good job, but when it came to protecting position as opposed to gaining it, we leaned on the youngster. Look for his load to go up even more this year.