Michigan playmaker Jabrill Peppers was named the winner of the 2016 Paul Hornung Award on Wednesday as the most versatile player in college football.
The announcement was made on the Wolverines' official athletics website and included a statement from the three-phase superstar:
It means a lot to me to win this award. You definitely want to do as much as possible, and you want to do it as well as you can. I think there are a lot of guys who could have won this award, so it's just a tremendous honor to be the winner and to represent the Paul Hornung Award. I'm just going to keep trying to get better, keep working on my faults and do whatever I have to do to help my team.
Peppers, who's also one of five finalists for the Heisman Trophy, made a remarkably wide-ranging impact for Michigan during its 10-2 regular season. The press release noted the New Jersey native lined up at 15 different positions during the course of the campaign.
Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh provided a statement about the natural defender's key role:
Jabrill loves competition and has a relentless desire to be great. We are honored that Jabrill has been selected as the Paul Hornung Award winner, an achievement fitting of his versatility on the football field. Jabrill is explosive, aggressive, intelligent and plays the game with great enthusiasm. He has always wanted what is best for the team and has been willing to accept any role that is asked of him. We are very proud of this achievement.
Peppers is listed as a linebacker and defensive back, and his main involvement was still on defense. He racked up 72 total tackles, including 16 for a loss, eight quarterback hurries, four sacks, an interception and a forced fumble.
Offensively, he carried the ball 27 times for 167 yards—an impressive 6.2 yards per carry—and scored three touchdowns. He also caught two passes.
The former Paramus Catholic High School standout also played a vital role on special teams, serving as the team's main kick and punt returner. He tallied 260 yards on 10 kick returns and 310 yards on 21 punt returns, including a 54-yard touchdown against Colorado in September.
Put it all together, and he was the clear choice despite strong seasons from his fellow finalists: Dede Westbrook of Oklahoma, Christian McCaffrey of Stanford and Adoree' Jackson of USC.
Peppers becomes the first Michigan player to take home the award, which was established in 2010. He joins a list of winners that features Odell Beckham Jr. and Tavon Austin, among others.
He'll get one more opportunity to showcase that versatility as Michigan is set to take on Florida State in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30. Then, it will be time to decide whether he's going to enter the 2017 NFL draft, where he'd likely become a top-10 selection.
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