Michigan Football: Giants won’t regret trading for Jabrill Peppers
Former Michigan football star Jabrill Peppers was part of the Odell Beckham Jr. trade as he went from the Browns to the Giants. Here is why it’s great for him.
When Jabrill Peppers played for Michigan football, he was one of the most exciting players on the field and Tuesday night, he got traded to the New York Giants, giving him a chance to play on one of the biggest stages in sports — New York City.
Of course, the big news was the fact that Odell Beckham Jr., a star wide receiver in the NFL was traded, as the Browns sent a first-round pick, a third-round pick and Peppers to the Giants for the disgruntled star.
The immediate reaction from many was that the Browns fleeced the Giants. That could be true, but many seem to be forgetting that Peppers was a first-round pick just two years ago and is on his way to being a bona fide star.
As a rookie, Peppers was solid, starting 13 games for the Browns. He only finished with 57 tackles, but he also notched an interception, three pass deflections and forced a fumble, while also handling some return duties.
However, during his second NFL season in 2018, the light started to go on for Peppers and by the end of the year, his play was dynamic. After starting all 16 games, Peppers managed 79 tackles, five tackles for loss, a sack, an interception and five pass deflections, often using his speed to impact the game.
In December, when the Browns were playing at Denver hoping to keep their playoff hopes alive, Peppers put together maybe the best game of his NFL career, finishing with six tackles, an interception, a tackle for loss and a pass deflection.
Peppers interception set up a score for the Browns and then in the fourth quarter when Denver was trying to mount a drive, the former Heisman finalist for Michigan football came up with a sack to finish off a big win.
OBJ is obviously a star but there are issues.
Not only does OBJ cause headaches but in the last two seasons, he has played only 16 games. When he has been healthy, his play has been great and the idea of him and Baker Mayfield has to be exciting for any Cleveland fan.
This isn’t to say the Browns are going to be disappointed in the deal at all. Beckham will be a star in Cleveland. The worry is that eventually, he will wear out his welcome as he did in New York.
Peppers isn’t that kind of guy and even though he’s not as flashy, he can fill in for Landon Collins right away and be a star for the next 8-10 years. Like OBJ, Peppers has Pro Bowls in his future.
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It will be up to the Giants to find good players with the other draft picks in the trade, but as far as Peppers is concerned, I wouldn’t expect the former Michigan football star to disappoint, especially now that he won’t be playing in Ohio anymore.