Versatile Peppers leaving Michigan
Jabrill Peppers is taking his do-it-all talent to the NFL.
The Heisman Trophy finalist announced his plans Tuesday to enter the draft and skip his senior season at Michigan.
“It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do,” Peppers said in an interview with Sports Illustrated. “I’m choosing between cementing my legacy as a college player and starting my pro legacy.”
Peppers said he told head coach Jim Harbaugh of his decision Monday.
“He thanked me and told me it was a pleasure to coach me,” Peppers said. “I told him it was a pleasure to play for him. He molded me for the next level, that’s how he operates.”
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound linebacker/defensive back is projected to be a first-round pick in April.
Peppers led the Wolverines with 16 tackles for losses, including four sacks, and ranked third with 72 tackles as a junior. He had 27 carries for 181 yards and three touchdowns on offense.
Florida State offensive tackle Rod Johnson will forgo his final season to enter the NFL draft.
Junior All-America left tackle Ryan Ramczyk is entering the draft after one season at Wisconsin.
Final poll: Clemson finished atop the Associated Press Top 25 after defeating Alabama for the national championship Monday night. The Tigers were No. 1 in the final poll for the first time since 1981.
The Crimson Tide finished second, and USC was third, jumping from ninth and becoming the first team to finish that high with three losses.
Washington was fourth, Oklahoma fifth and Ohio State sixth, followed by Penn State, Florida State, Wisconsin and Michigan. Stanford jumped from 18th to 12th after winning the Sun Bowl.
Scarbrough broke leg: Alabama tailback Bo Scarbrough fractured a bone in his lower right leg in the national championship game.
Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban said that Scarbrough’s injury won’t require surgery and that he’s expected to fully recover. Scarbrough was injured late in the third quarter of Monday night’s 35-31 loss to Clemson and didn’t return. He had run for 93 yards with first-half touchdowns of 25 and 37 yards. Buckeyes’ hire: Ohio State has hired former Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson to help direct the offense. The university said Wilson will be co-offensive coordinator with newly hired Ryan Day and also coach tight ends.
Wilson went 26-47 in six seasons at Indiana. Title-game viewership dips: The rematch between Clemson and Alabama drew 680,000 fewer viewers on TV and online than last year’s game, ESPN said.
The game got a 14.7 overnight rating for ESPN and a 15.3 rating for ESPN’s MegaCast, which combines viewers for ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU. Last year’s title game, won 45-40 by Alabama, drew a 15.8 overnight rating for ESPN and a 16.0 for the MegaCast.