Former Michigan linebacker/safety Jabrill Peppers is headed to what was once enemy territory, and he couldn’t be happier. Peppers’ excitement was evident in a Thursday night conference call after the Cleveland Browns made him the NFL Draft’s No. 25 pick overall.
Peppers was the subject of some controversy when he tested for a diluted sample, which the NFL views as a positive test. He said the Browns never asked him to explain himself, adding he didn’t feel he had to.
“They didn’t really question me on it. I explained it exactly with what my agent said,” Peppers said. “I had to hydrate more than normal. I was working out with two position groups and I have a history of cramping. It is what it is. I’m just excited to be part of the organization.
“I really didn’t have to convince anybody of anything. My character speaks for itself. People can speculate on what they want. I’m putting that behind me now. This is the best day of my life right here. The Browns believe in me as an organization, and the coaches [do]. I pretty much think they know what kind of guy they are getting, a high character guy, a guy who is going to lay it all on the line for the his team no matter what the circumstances are.”
He admitted he wasn’t certain if he’d go in the first round given all the recent chatter.
“I’m so excited for the opportunity,” he said, a bit out of breath. “I told myself whenever the opportunity came, it came. It came a little earlier than I expected. I’m excited to lay it all on the line for my family and the team, excited for the new growth of this organization.
“They really took an interest. I spoke with the coaches. They came and visited me … I was upset because I was sick when I was supposed to take a visit out there, and I knew they really liked me … they believe in me, and we had a lot of conversations at the combine through this draft. I’m excited, at a loss for words right now.”
He’s also excited to get back to his natural position and play safety. He did what the Wolverines needed him to do as the jack-of-all-trades, but believes safety and returning kicks is his future in the NFL.
“You’ll have to ask the coaches that. I’m down to do whatever they ask me to do,” he said. “They believe in me. They’re going to get more than 200 percent. That’s what I’m going to be. I’m just excited; my family is excited. That’s what they need me to do, and I’m going to do to the best of my ability. You can quote me on that.
“I’ve never had the opportunity to play in the defensive backfield, so now that I’m going to get that opportunity, I’m going to show these guys what I can do … show everybody what I can do. I definitely think the defensive backfield is where I belong … I’m a tenacious defender, a guy who’s a competitor, will outcompete and out-challenge. That’s what I’m going to continue to do when I get to the league … at the end of the day I’m a ball player, love the game, want to keep getting better day in and day out.”
The sky’s the limit in Cleveland, he said, adding, ‘We’re going to make some big things happen.’ And while Buckeyes fans are also Browns fans, he’s excited to have them in his corner.
“[First overall pick] Myles Garrett is going to be a terror up there [on the d-line] and I’m going to do my due diligence in the back end to hold it all together,” he said. “I’m just excited for the future. We have a lot of great talent. I’m just excited for what’s to come.
“At the end of the day, that team [Ohio State] can feel how they feel. I’m on to bigger and better things. If they still hate me, they still hate me. I could care less. I’m just trying to be the best person and player I can be, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
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