Michigan football star Jabrill Peppers is in the spotlight as season looms

EAST ORANGE, NJ – One of the nation’s most versatile players, University of Michigan junior Jabrill Peppers has been selected to the preseason football watch list for the 2016 Paul Hornung Award, presented annually to college football’s best all-around player by the Louisville Sports Commission. Peppers was a finalist for the 2015 Hornung Award.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Peppers, an East Orange native and Paramus Catholic High School graduate, earned his first varsity letter in 2015, starting 12 games at defensive back. He was selected as the Big Ten Conference’s Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year for 2015, earned second-team All-America honors, and was a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award, presented to the nation’s most versatile performer.

Last season, Peppers played on offense and defense.

As a safety, he had 45 tackles (34 solo and 11 assists).

On offense, Peppers rushed for 72 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries (4.0 yards per carry) and had eight receptions for 79 yards (9.9 yards per reception).

Peppers also returned punts and kickoffs. He had eight kickoff returns for 223 yards (27.9 yards per kickoff) and 17 punt returns for 194 yards (11.4 yards per punt).

The Wolverines finished with a 10-3 record in Jim Harbaugh’s first season as head coach last year, capped by the 41-7 win over Florida in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl.

Michigan is ranked No. 7 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll and No. 8 in the Coaches Poll this season. The Wolverines will host Hawaii in the season opener Sept. 3 at noon, televised by ESPN.

Michigan also has a few other New Jersey players, such as freshman running back Kareem Walker and freshman defensive lineman Rashan Gary. Walker, an Irvington resident, played at DePaul where he led the Spartans to three straight state titles. Gary, like Peppers, is a Paramus Catholic graduate who was the consensus No. 1 overall player in the nation for the Class of 2016.