The Wolverine

has a history of success with the ball in his hands. It's possible he might demand offensive playing time re- gardless of what his Maize and Blue teammates prove. Peppers was a star tailback and re- ceiver at Paramus Catholic, rushing for 3,122 yards and 43 touchdowns on 373 carries (8.4-yard average) with 57 receptions for 877 yards (15.4) and 17 TDs during his career. Former Michigan safety and cur- rent U-M football analyst Marcus Ray suggested back in April the 6-1, 205-pound chiseled Peppers might be the explosive, every-down run- ning back the Maize and Blue were lacking on their roster. While he wants to see Peppers emerge a domi- nant last-line defender, he was a little torn because he believes the offense needs playmakers. "They're going to find ways to get his hands on the football because he's a game-breaker with his speed and athleticism, and Michigan doesn't have a lot of those guys right now," Ray said. "I can see him lined up at slot receiver, running reverses, screens, trick plays. "I don't see him lining up as a true running back, getting 10-12 carries per game, because he's too valuable to what they want to be defensively to put his body through that much punishment." "The dynamic player that can have an impact on offense and defense does not come along too often. UCLA has had fun running linebacker Myles Jack in certain running situations in recent years, and the game has started to see juggernaut offensive linemen take down field out of the tight end position, with William Perry breaking down that wall years ago. "Good coaches put the best players in the best positions possible to help their team win. So will Jim Harbaugh experiment with playing defensive back Jabrill Peppers on offense at Michigan? If so, Peppers is ready to contribute." — NBCSports.com's Kevin McGuire on the potential for Peppers to play both ways "Peppers, once the No. 2-ranked recruit in the nation, missed most of his rookie season in Ann Arbor after a chop block took out his ankle in the third game of the year. "That he hasn't played since September has only accelerated the projections of what he could eventually become for the Wolverines. He came in at No. 69 in ESPN.com's list of the top 100 players in the country earlier this week. Michigan's own website, in a feature on Peppers leading into camp, said he 'compares very favorably' to Charles Woodson, the school's most recent Heis- man Trophy winner. "'That's a little insane,' Peppers said from the team's locker room Thursday afternoon. 'I haven't done anything yet. Just let me play. Let me show what I can do before you start telling me.'" — ESPN.com's Dan Murphy on the Peppers' hype

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