National Football League

Washington Redskins 2017 NFL Draft Target: S/LB Jabrill Peppers

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 12:22 a.m. ET

Fansided, Josh Landis/FanSided via Riggo's Rag

The Washington Redskins have a lot of voids to fill via the upcoming NFL Draft, none more pressing than defense.

Great talent is rare. Shocker, right? Well, it is indeed rare. But one player in the 2017 NFL draft class truly encapsulates great talent is Jabrill Peppers out of Michigan.

Peppers is arguably the most athletic and explosive player in the 2017 NFL draft class. His instincts and closing speed make him a dangerous defensive player. Peppers has played practically every position at Michigan from linebacker, cornerback, safety, punt returner, kick returner, running back, and the list goes on. His versatility and athleticism are in a class of its own.

At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, it’s obvious Peppers will not fill the role at linebacker in the NFL. He has a lot of similar attributes to our own Su’a Cravens. His talents, like Cravens, would fit best at the safety position in the NFL.

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Peppers collegiate awards are impressive. For the 2016 season as a junior he was named to the All-American team, he was an Heisman Award finalist, the Big 10 defensive player of the year, Big 10 linebacker of the year, and Big 10 return specialist of the year.

During the 2016 year the Washington Redskins defensive unit was nothing short of dreadful. They finished the 2016 year with the 28th ranked defense. Their biggest fault; their inability to make stops on third down. They accounted for 97 third down conversions. That was good for the second to the worst mark in the NFL.

So, obviously, a change needs to happen. The safety position has been a position of instability since Sean Taylor, so what a great place to start. With Cravens in transition to safety and the addition of Peppers at free safery, the Redskins would arguably have one of the most dynamic safety duos in the league.

Some people argue that Peppers is a gamble, but with talent he possesses, it’s well worth the roll of the dice for Washington.