Peppers might need time to take over at strong safety for Browns

Jabrill Peppers

POSITION » Strong safety HEIGHT, WEIGHT » 5-foot-11, 213 BIRTHDATE » Oct. 4, 1995 YEARS PRO » Rookie COLLEGE » Michigan RANKING » 16th of 25

PEPPERS’ BACKGROUND » Jabrill Peppers had so many roles at Michigan he didn’t have one he could call his own, which is why he is an unknown quantity in the NFL.

The Browns went into the draft owning the first and 12th picks in the first round. They used the first on defensive end Myles Garrett and traded the 12th to the Houston Texans for the 25th pick in 2017 and the Texans first-round pick next year.

The Texans took quarterback Deshaun Watson from Clemson. The Browns used the 25th pick on Peppers.

Peppers’ NFL career has not gotten off to a flying start.

He turned in a diluted urine sample at the Combine, which the NFL considers a failed drug test. He is in Step One of the league’s substance abuse program. He faces suspension if he fails another test. Next he forgot to sign a waiver at the start of rookie minicamp, making him ineligible to practice. He signed it the next day.

Peppers signed his rookie contract on July 23 — one day before rookies were due to report and

four days before the start of training camp.

Unsigned players cannot practice once training camp starts. WHY PEPPERS IS RANKED

16TH » The Browns selected Peppers because they are very thin at safety, but that doesn’t automatically make him the starter. Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor has plans for Peppers as a punt returner, and that makes him doubly valuable.

COLLEGE RECAP » Peppers was a two-year starter at Michigan. He started 12 games as a defensive back when he was a sophomore in 2015 and started 12 as a linebacker in 2016. He broke up 10 passes in 2015 and won three awards — the Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year, Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year and RodgersDwight Return Specialist of the Year – and also finished fifth in the 2016 Heisman Trophy voting. Peppers left Michigan with a year of eligibility remaining. WHY PEPPERS IS IMPORTANT IN 2017 » His versatility makes him very appealing to the defensive coaches and to head coach Hue Jackson. However, according to Pro Football Focus: “Peppers doesn’t have the play strength or take-on skills to make a living near the trenches and plays too reactive in man and zone coverages.” PFF adds: “Peppers is a difficult evaluation, but his remarkable athleticism and fearless attitude project well to the NFL level, projecting best as a hybrid strong safety and return man.”

PREDICTION FOR 2017 » Peppers will need time to learn and get adjusted to going against NFL receivers and runners, but eventually will win the starting job at safety. The Browns need a sure tackler and cover man, especially given the quality of tight ends they’ll be facing this season. He should fit in more easily as a punt returner.

There has been a helpwanted sign at that position last year.

NEWS-HERALD FILE Jabrill Peppers from the University of Michigan talks to reporters during rookie minicamp at the Browns Training Facility in Berea on May 13.