I got the chance to speak with 2014 Rivals #2
overall player Jabrill Peppers, following his unofficial visit to Michigan this
past weekend. The junior dominated for Paramus (NJ) Catholic, rushing for over
1,500 yards and 18 touchdowns, catching 5 more, while adding 77 tackles and 3
picks on defense. Despite the success,
the Charles Woodson comparisons, and the jam-packed off-season, Jabrill
remains humble and focused on an even stronger senior season. He kindly took
the time out of his busy schedule to talk with me about his training, goals,
and thoughts on his visit to Ann Arbor. Make sure to take a look at the
attached video links of Jabrill taking his training to a different level.
overall player Jabrill Peppers, following his unofficial visit to Michigan this
past weekend. The junior dominated for Paramus (NJ) Catholic, rushing for over
1,500 yards and 18 touchdowns, catching 5 more, while adding 77 tackles and 3
picks on defense. Despite the success,
the Charles Woodson comparisons, and the jam-packed off-season, Jabrill
remains humble and focused on an even stronger senior season. He kindly took
the time out of his busy schedule to talk with me about his training, goals,
and thoughts on his visit to Ann Arbor. Make sure to take a look at the
attached video links of Jabrill taking his training to a different level.
Coming
off an amazing junior year, how are you preparing for your senior season?
off an amazing junior year, how are you preparing for your senior season?
“To be even better, to be bigger, smarter, faster, and
make it real tough for everyone in the country.”
make it real tough for everyone in the country.”
Any
part of your game that you feel you need to fine tune or improve on?
part of your game that you feel you need to fine tune or improve on?
“Yes, definitely, my cornerbacking skills. From down
to my stance, pedal, footwork, my breaks on the ball, hand eye coordination.
Things I really need, the fundamentals. In college there is not going to be
that much of a difference between talent and speed, so it’s really going to be
the fundamentals that set you apart.”
to my stance, pedal, footwork, my breaks on the ball, hand eye coordination.
Things I really need, the fundamentals. In college there is not going to be
that much of a difference between talent and speed, so it’s really going to be
the fundamentals that set you apart.”
What
are some of the things you are doing to improve on those fundamentals?
are some of the things you are doing to improve on those fundamentals?
“Ladders, fitness ball work, repetition in my backpedal, really a lot of repetition in my breaks. Making sure that the defense
we run is engraved in my head because when you know what you’re doing, you play
faster and you have a better feel of the game.”
we run is engraved in my head because when you know what you’re doing, you play
faster and you have a better feel of the game.”
Tell
me a little bit about your off-season training at Total Nunziato Training (TNT)
and how it’s helping you elevate your game?
me a little bit about your off-season training at Total Nunziato Training (TNT)
and how it’s helping you elevate your game?
“TNT is really helping me. There is a great group of
trainers that really hone in on what you need to do to be better. They focus on
where you need to be at and the process they can help you with to get there.
They really push you to your maximum limit and get the full potential out of
you and take you to places that you can’t take yourself.”
trainers that really hone in on what you need to do to be better. They focus on
where you need to be at and the process they can help you with to get there.
They really push you to your maximum limit and get the full potential out of
you and take you to places that you can’t take yourself.”
What
stood out the most from your Michigan trip this past weekend?
stood out the most from your Michigan trip this past weekend?
“I loved it, it definitely was not what I expected.
I expected it to be good but not as great as it was. I really loved all of the
coaches and everything about that place. Down from the players and even the
students, it was a really friendly place. Academics, they’re the number
seventeen university in the nation academically, so that’s really huge for me.”
I expected it to be good but not as great as it was. I really loved all of the
coaches and everything about that place. Down from the players and even the
students, it was a really friendly place. Academics, they’re the number
seventeen university in the nation academically, so that’s really huge for me.”
I
caught the picture of you and Denard Robinson from the weekend in Ann Arbor. Can you elaborate on any of the other guys you met out there or coaches that
you met with?
caught the picture of you and Denard Robinson from the weekend in Ann Arbor. Can you elaborate on any of the other guys you met out there or coaches that
you met with?
“I got a chance to meet [John] Beilein, the head basketball
coach. I pretty much met the whole basketball team, from Trey Burke to Hardaway
Jr, Mitch Mcgary, so that was pretty cool before the national championship
game.”
coach. I pretty much met the whole basketball team, from Trey Burke to Hardaway
Jr, Mitch Mcgary, so that was pretty cool before the national championship
game.”
Did
you get to check some of spring ball practice out?
you get to check some of spring ball practice out?
“Yeah, I got to see them practice. Very intense,
reminds me of our practice, a lot of hitting, a lot of fundamentals. Everything
is run to a “T”, they are never off schedule, and they really get after their
guys in practice making them the best they can be.”
reminds me of our practice, a lot of hitting, a lot of fundamentals. Everything
is run to a “T”, they are never off schedule, and they really get after their
guys in practice making them the best they can be.”
We
hear a lot about cornerback, and you mentioned working on your cornerback
skills before. Have the Michigan coaches talked to you about a position if you
were to attend the school? And what position would you prefer to play?
hear a lot about cornerback, and you mentioned working on your cornerback
skills before. Have the Michigan coaches talked to you about a position if you
were to attend the school? And what position would you prefer to play?
“I am definitely going to go to college to be a
defensive back, and there were some talks about getting me a package on
offense. Getting to play a little offense and returning some punts and kicks,
whatever I can do. My goal is to win the Heisman as a true freshman, and to be
the first player to ever do that, and I will do whatever it takes to accomplish
that.”
defensive back, and there were some talks about getting me a package on
offense. Getting to play a little offense and returning some punts and kicks,
whatever I can do. My goal is to win the Heisman as a true freshman, and to be
the first player to ever do that, and I will do whatever it takes to accomplish
that.”
Coming
off a state championship season at Paramus Catholic, what are some of your
goals as a team and personally?
off a state championship season at Paramus Catholic, what are some of your
goals as a team and personally?
“Well the number one goal is not losing any games,
and to win a national championship. We have enough national powers on our
schedule for us to obtain that goal. Every game is going to be a war so we
really need to fine tune our bodies this off-season to prepare for that. It is
really the most important thing. There are no cupcake games this year. We
really want to repeat in the state as well. 12-0 is the goal. For me, I just
want to be better than last year. I want to be a better leader and be able to
take over the game more than I could do last year. Everyone says even from my
sophomore year that I wouldn’t get better, so I topped my sophomore year. Now
we are just going to do the same thing, just my drive, the people and coaches I
surround myself with that push me. We are all just really hungry, we know we
have the opportunity to do something great that has never happened before. We
are definitely excited and ready to go.”
and to win a national championship. We have enough national powers on our
schedule for us to obtain that goal. Every game is going to be a war so we
really need to fine tune our bodies this off-season to prepare for that. It is
really the most important thing. There are no cupcake games this year. We
really want to repeat in the state as well. 12-0 is the goal. For me, I just
want to be better than last year. I want to be a better leader and be able to
take over the game more than I could do last year. Everyone says even from my
sophomore year that I wouldn’t get better, so I topped my sophomore year. Now
we are just going to do the same thing, just my drive, the people and coaches I
surround myself with that push me. We are all just really hungry, we know we
have the opportunity to do something great that has never happened before. We
are definitely excited and ready to go.”
In
terms of commitment, I know some players like to get everything squared away
before their senior season, while others prefer the highly anticipated hat
ceremony at the last minute. Do you have an idea of when you will be
comfortable making your announcement?
terms of commitment, I know some players like to get everything squared away
before their senior season, while others prefer the highly anticipated hat
ceremony at the last minute. Do you have an idea of when you will be
comfortable making your announcement?
“I’m definitely going to wait until after the
season. My team and our goals are the most important thing right now. We should
have about 8-12 guys on our team that can go Division I, so I’m going to have a
commitment party. I want to get everyone together and have the media there, so
we all can make our announcements then.”
season. My team and our goals are the most important thing right now. We should
have about 8-12 guys on our team that can go Division I, so I’m going to have a
commitment party. I want to get everyone together and have the media there, so
we all can make our announcements then.”
http://www.usatodayhss.com/news/videos/video/0000013d-4580-da6f-a3bd-679898990000
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So he wants to not only be the first defensive player since woodson to win the heisman…he also wants to do it his true freshman year.
clearly not lacking in confidence
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Congrats on the first? interview Mike! Very good job!
Go Blue
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Well done, Mike! The article was a smooth, enjoyable read.
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AWESOME INTERVIEW MIKE. LOOK OUT SI.
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I love that he stressed fundamentals. I heard a lot of Hoke and Mattison in that comment, though it could be coincidence.
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Someone is lying to Peppers about Michigan's academic rankings. Michigan is #29 on US News and #57 on Forbes.
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The kid is not an idiot, he does his own research too. Maybe you should look around more before making such accusations.
http://m.guardiannews.com/news/datablog/2013/mar/05/world-top-100-universities-reputation-rankings-times-higher-education
In the above, Michigan is at 12.
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This is exactly the type of good character and intelligent student athletes we look for at Michigan. This guy is a perfect fit. Him and Hand both, with their combination of talent and academic achievements. Go Blue!
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I believe that it is the 17th public university or something along those lines and forbes contains schools from all over the world so that doesnt really count that they are in the 50's
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May depend on the academic programs you are referring to and even the college with in Michigan. For example the engineering college was at one point number three in the nation.
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Might have been talking about a specific major he had in mind.
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It depends on what rankings you look at. QS has UM 17th in the world and Stanford at 15th while Times Higher Ed has UM in 20th and Stanford at #2. Forbes rankings are strange considering they have Johns Hopkins at 67, USC at 95, NYU at 97, and Georgia Tech 135. They are trying to measure value in terms of future earnings so it weighs money and influence over research and academic rigor.
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And #9 in the country (#12 globally) in terms of reputation according to the Times Higher Education (http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2013/reputation-ranking).
University rankings are always arbitrary and kind of absurd, but the Forbes list seems to be absurdly far removed from common perception (e.g. Pomona at #9, with UCLA at #45 and Berkeley at #50). My perception, having earned multiple degrees from Michigan and having interacted with people from many different ed institutions, is that Michigan is widely and deservedly considered one of the best universities in the world.
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…or they are #12 in the world
http://m.guardiannews.com/news/datablog/2013/mar/05/world-top-100-universities-reputation-rankings-times-higher-education
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I wouldn't draw recruits' attention to that study.
For reputation, Stanford had a 70.6 (sixth in the world)
Michigan scored a 22.4.
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Awesome interview….JP is my favorite recruit ever GO BLUE
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Sounds good but we have a loooong ways to go till he decides. Hopefully we stay in FLAVOR with peppers.
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Relax everybody rankings vary on source and what criteria you think is most important. When it comes down to it there are very few schools that are top rated in football and academics. Stanford, Notre Dame, USC, UCLA, and Michigan. Peppers has eliminated USC and UCLA. Lets be patient and hopes he chooses the one closest to home …. Michigan!
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