Michigan Football 2017 Mock Draft Roundup: Feb. 27
The NFL Combine officially starts Tuesday, and a school-record 14 former Wolverines have been invited to take part in Indianapolis. That total leads the nation by at least four — Alabama and LSU are tied for second with 10 participants each — and ties Ohio State's total last year, when it produced 12 draftees and five in the first round. The Buckeyes hold the record with 14 draftees from one school, set in 2004.
Before the workouts and interviews begin, several former U-M players are highly rated on the draft boards of various NFL Draft experts, who project several Wolverines to have a chance to hear their names called in the first round. Defensive end Taco Charlton and safety/linebacker Jabrill Peppers are popular first-round choices, although one outlet had cornerback Jourdan Lewis as the first Wolverine off the board and projections that went past round one included several more names.
A roundup of where the former Michigan standouts are projected to go in the NFL Draft heading into the combine:
Pete Schrager, FoxSports.com (Feb. 27)
16. Taco Charlton (Baltimore Ravens)
Best name in the NFL Draft. Charlton is a 6-foot-6, 270-pound big boy who can get to the quarterback. Big program. Big production. Someone close to John Harbaugh who has a little coaching experience can vouch for him. The Ravens’ top pass rushers aren’t getting any younger. This could be a wise pick at 16.
22. S Jabrill Peppers (Miami Dolphins)
I’ve seen Peppers go as high as top five in some mock drafts. He may very well. Or he can go somewhere in the 20-to-32 range. The scintillating part of Peppers’ repertoire is his versatility. The confounding part may be where exactly he fits best. Very curious to see how teams view him coming out of Indianapolis.
Rob Rang, The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com (Feb. 26)
16. S Jabrill Peppers (Baltimore Ravens)
With starting safety Matt Elam a pending free agent — and likely done as a Raven after his arrest in Miami on Saturday night — and Eric Weddle poised to enter his 11th NFL season, the Ravens may very well be looking for help in the secondary in the 2017 draft. Peppers starred as a linebacker in 2016 but possesses the agility and speed to handle coverage, as well.
21. DE Taco Charlton (Detroit Lions)
Stellar play from quarterback Matthew Stafford has diverted attention from a Detroit pass rush that struggled with star Ziggy Ansah limited by an ankle injury. The Lions need not look far for help. Only emerging as a full-time starter for Michigan this season, Charlton developed into one of the country’s better edge rushing prospects, boasting exciting initial quickness and bend given his 6-5, 272-pound frame.
Will Brinson, CBSSports.com (Feb. 23)
12. S Jabrill Peppers (Cleveland Browns)
Pick a position, any position. The Browns needs players all over the place. If they come out of this draft with Jarrett, Peppers and a trade of No. 34 to grab Garoppolo we’re yelling about them as big-time winners during the draft season. Man, there are so many different ways the Browns draft can turn this year.
18. Taco Charlton (Tennessee Titans)
Jon Robinson should be beaming after the way this first round has gone for him. Landing a No. 1 wide receiver would be an ideal situation, but there’s no need to force things and now he’s walking out of Thursday with a pair of defense studs after landing the best name in the draft to bolster his defensive line.
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News (Feb. 23)
17. S Jabrill Peppers (Washington Redskins)
Washingon needs help at both safety and inside linebacker. Some teams might be off Peppers because of his "tweener" status and the challenge of trying to fit him in a defense. The Redskins should welcome that kind of versatility.
21. DE Taco Charlton (Detroit Lions)
Detroit needs to spark its pass rush, too, and needing to go just a little down the road for Charlton at Michigan is a nice bonus. The Lions see what Ziggy Ansah has become, so there's some freakish familiarity here.
Lance Zierlein, NFL.com (Feb. 23)
7. Taco Charlton (Los Angeles Chargers)
The Chargers are in need of an edge rusher with Melvin Ingram likely on the way out. Charlton fits with high-end physical and play traits.
17. Jabrill Peppers (Washington Redskins)
This is probably earlier than I personally would go with Peppers, but with DeAngelo Hall on the back end, Peppers would be allowed to play in space and be deployed all over the field like he was at Michigan.
22. Taco Charlton (Miami Dolphins)
The Dolphins made a huge mistake by signing Mario Williams this offseason. He struggled mightily, and he was released as a consequence. The Dolphins have no successor in place for Cameron Wake, so here's their chance to acquire some young blood at defensive end.
28. LB/S Jabrill Peppers (Dallas Cowboys)
Both Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox happen to be free agents, so the Cowboys could select Jabrill Peppers if he's available. As discussed in a recent NFL Draft Rumor Mill entry, teams are split on whether Peppers is a first-round prospect or not. If the Cowboys like him, I'm sure they'll think he provides great value at No. 28.
ROUND 2
44. Jourdan Lewis (Buffalo Bills)
The Bills will likely select a cornerback early in the 2017 NFL Draft unless they pick up someone in free agency. Stephon Gilmore struggled this past season, and he happens to be a free agent anyway.
45. DE/DT Chris Wormley (Arizona Cardinals)
Calais Campbell will be a 31-year-old free agent entering next offseason. It goes without saying that the Cardinals will have to replace him if he leaves.
ROUND 3
71. OT Erik Magnuson (Los Angeles Chargers)
King Dunlap and Joe Barksdale have both regressed this year, so Los Angeles has to find a new tackle to help protect Philip Rivers as he enters his final seasons in the NFL.
ROUND 4
106. TE Jake Butt (Chicago Bears)
Zach Miller is a solid tight end, but he has had trouble staying healthy. Miller doesn't have many years remaining anyway. This is some major value, as Jake Butt getting hurt caused him to drop two rounds.
108. WR Amara Darboh (Philadelphia Eagles)
It wouldn't surprise me at all if the Eagles doubled up at receiver, given how devoid of talent they are at the position.
Dane Brugler, NFLDraftScout.com/CBSSports.com
23. DE Taco Charlton (New York Giants)
With Jason Pierre-Paul not expected back, defensive end is a likely need this offseason. Charlton, who has some traits reminiscent of Justin Tuck out of Notre Dame, has all the ingredients of a NFL starter.
30. S Jabrill Peppers (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh hasn't been able to properly replace the hole left by Troy Polamalu at strong safety and although Peppers isn't on that level, he has intriguing blend of athleticism and physicality.
Pro Football Focus (Updated: Feb. 17)
27. CB Jourdan Lewis (Kansas City Chiefs)
No team plays as much man coverage as the Chiefs, and Lewis has the movement skills to mirror the best route-runners. He can get outmuscled by bigger receivers, but quarterbacks have a passer rating of only 45.8 when throwing his way over the last three years, and he brings the versatility to line up either outside or in the slot. Especially in a division with sharp route runners like Amari Cooper, Emmanuel Sanders, and Keenan Allen, Lewis can be an asset to complement CB Marcus Peters on the other side.
28. DE Taco Charlton (Dallas Cowboys)
The defensive line will get plenty of attention in Dallas this offseason, as the Cowboys’ defense was strong on the back end, but provided little pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Charlton did his best work down the stretch, where he ranked fourth among edge defenders from Week 9 through the end of the season. Over the last two years, Charlton has accumulated 14 sacks, 19 QB hits, and 62 hurries on about a season’s worth of snaps, and he brings the ability to rush the passer and play the run to the Dallas defensive front.
32. LB Jabrill Peppers (New England Patriots)
New England can go a few different ways at the back end of the draft, but they certainly like versatile defensive players, and Peppers can contribute to various roles on the defense. He’s at his best as an extra run defender in the box, where he explodes to ball carriers in the run game, and he’s capable in coverage when taking on tight ends. That’s been safety Patrick Chung’s role the last few years, but he took a step back in 2016. Peppers can step right in to take the reins from Chung as a box safety capable of manning up with opposing tight ends.
Chad Reuter, NFL.com (Feb. 16)
Rd 1, pick 9 — DE Taco Charlton (Cincinnati Bengals)
Last year, people were surprised Chicago chose Leonard Floyd at No. 9; no one should be surprised at this pick.
Rd 2, pick 51 overall — CB Jourdan Lewis (Denver Broncos)
Rd 2, pick 52 — S Jabrill Peppers (Cleveland Browns)
Rd 3, pick 72 — TE Jake Butt (Carolina Panthers)
Rd 4, pick 131 — DE Chris Wormley (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Rd 4, pick 134 — DT Ryan Glasgow (Kansas City Chiefs)
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN.com (Feb. 15)
8. DE Taco Charlton (Carolina Panthers)
The Panthers need a pass-rusher, and Charlton has put himself in this value range. He closed the season on an absolute tear, and he doesn't just do it with speed. He offers legitimate size that you'd typically look for in a 4-3 edge defender, with length and weight of just a hair under 280 pounds.
32. LB Jabrill Peppers (New England Patriots)
Peppers is still a bit of a mystery in terms of projection — teams are doing a lot of homework and trying to figure out how and where he'll fit. But I know a good place to land for a player who can do just about anything but just needs a coaching staff that can be creative and use his instincts. Jim Harbaugh will be doing a lot of selling on Peppers' behalf, and perhaps the Patriots will listen.
Eric Galko, Optimum Scouting/Sporting News (Feb. 13)
16. DE Taco Charlton (Baltimore Ravens)
Receiver and edge rusher are the Ravens’ two most important needs in this offseason. It’s a somewhat deep class at receiver, and the team has already invested a first-rounder (Breshad Perriman) at the position. Charlton can offer 4-3 or 3-4 edge rushing upside
27. LB/S Jabrill Peppers (Kansas City Chiefs)
It's becoming harder and harder to find a home for Peppers in Round 1, but I’d be shocked (at least as of now) if he fell out. Peppers is a safety for some teams, a linebacker for others. I don’t know which I’d prefer him at for the Chiefs, but unless they go quarterback, they’ll have plenty of options.
Rd. 2, pick 44 — WR Amara Darboh (Philadelphia Eagles)
Rd. 2, pick 57 — DT Chris Wormley (Houston Texans)
Charley Casserly, NFL.com (Feb. 11)
25. S Jabrill Peppers (Houston Texans)
Texans swing for the fences with a wild card in the first round. Peppers is a boom-or-bust pick.
30. DE Taco Charlton (Pittsburgh Steelers)
The Steelers need a cornerback and pass rusher, but Alabama TE O.J. Howard might be too highly rated to pass up at this spot.
Todd McShay, ESPN.com (Feb. 8)
11. DE Taco Charlton (New Orleans Saints)
Charlton really came on strong in the second half of the season, posting 10 sacks in his final 10 games. He showed a lot of improvement with his hands and overall technique in 2016. The Saints need a pass-rusher opposite Cameron Jordan, and Charlton has the size, speed and power to be a difference-maker off the edge.
17. S Jabrill Peppers (Washington Redskins)
Peppers is a polarizing prospect in scouting circles. He needs to be protected from deep zone coverage, and he did not have much ball production at Michigan, with just one career interception. But he is a special athlete with elite speed and a unique knack for keeping blockers off his pads. His electrifying return ability will also be an asset in the NFL.
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com (Feb. 8)
16. Taco Charlton (Baltimore Ravens)
In this scenario, Charlton would continue to make plays for a Harbaugh brother.
32. Jabrill Peppers (New England Patriots)
Nobody appreciates versatility quite like the New England Patriots.
Bucky Brooks, NFL.com (Jan. 26)
5. Jabrill Peppers (Tennessee Titans)
Remember how Dick LeBeau used Troy Polamalu in Pittsburgh? The defensive wizard could use a similar blueprint to make Peppers a star in the Titans' aggressive scheme.
22. OLB Taco Charlton (Miami Dolphins)
The team's primary pass rushers (Cameron Wake and Mario Williams) are on the backside of their careers. Charlton would add some speed, athleticism, and sizzle as an edge rusher.
Notes and Numbers
• Charlton had a high of being picked seventh; his average selection was 17.9. His most-popular destinations were the Baltimore Ravens at No. 16 (three times), the Detroit Lions at No. 21 (twice) and the Miami Dolphins at No. 22 (twice).
• Peppers had a high of fifth, but it was in the oldest mock draft (NFL.com's Bucky Brooks on NFL.com from Jan. 26). His next-highest slot was 12th, with an average of 24.3. In the lone mock draft of the 15 we looked at that he wasn't a first-rounder, he went 52nd overall. His most-popular destinations included the Washington Redskins at No. 17 (three times) and the New England Patriots at No. 32 (three times).
• There weren't many mocks that went past round one, but Jourdan Lewis was a first-rounder in one and taken in three of the mocks (Nos. 27, 44, 51). Chris Wormley was also selected in three (Nos. 45, 57, 131).