Between football and track Jabrill Peppers already has five state titles, and the Reebok Dynamic Athlete is looking for more in the upcoming school year.
One of the most impressive high school athletes in the country, Jabrill Peppers can do it all on the football field and on the track.
Photo by Vincent Carchietta
On Sept. 10, 2010, a relatively unknown ninth-grade cornerback for Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) named
Jabrill Peppers cracked the starting lineup for the Ironmen in their season-opening contest against Gilman.
The 5-foot-11, 175-pound freshman intercepted a Gilman pass in the end zone, helping Don Bosco Prep to a surprisingly smooth 33-6 victory over one of Maryland's top teams.
Peppers went on to win the
MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year award that season, the first of many national honors he'd achieve in football.
See our special Jabrill Peppers photo gallery
Now standing at 6-1, 210 and attending
Paramus Catholic (N.J.), Peppers has carved out a reputation not only as a superb pigskin talent, but also as an immensely gifted athlete who could have a bright future in track as well.
He juggles both sports with playing basketball in the winter, all the while maintaining a stellar 3.8 GPA.
"He's a kid that can do it all," said Paramus Catholic head football coach Chris Partridge.
See all the Reebok Dynamic Athletes{PAGEBREAK}
JABRILL PEPPERS BIO
Peppers has committed to play football at Michigan.
Photo by Vincent Carchietta
East Orange, N.J.
School: Paramus Catholic
Sports: Football (running back, receiver, cornerback, safety, returner), track and field (sprinter).
Class: 2014
College plans: Peppers has committed to Michigan, where he will focus on football. He selected the Wolverines over Stanford, Penn State, and numerous other offers.
Off the field: In the little spare time he has, Peppers records songs and even
has a music video on YouTube. According to his coaches, Peppers is a celebrity among youth football players in the area.
Coach speak: "He's special in pretty much everything. He's a special athlete."
- Paramus Catholic track and field coach Greg Russo{PAGEBREAK}
PEPPERS ON THE GRIDIRON
Peppers has already won three football state titles, and is looking for a fourth this fall.
Photo by Vincent Carchietta
After transferring from Don Bosco Prep in the spring of his sophomore year, Peppers was the catalyst to a stunning state title run for Paramus Catholic, which snapped Don Bosco Prep's streak of six consecutive Non Public, Group IV titles.
He lined up just about everywhere for the Paladins, including running back, receiver, cornerback and safety. He also returned kicks. In the process, he accumulated one of the more impressive highlight reels of any recruit.
He's big, fast, and strong — but coaches say it's something extra that differentiates Peppers from other elite athletes.
"He's powerful, fast, explosive, quick. But what separates him is his mental aspect of the game, where he fits in certain plays and schemes. He's extremely intelligent."
Here's a rundown of Peppers' accomplishments on the football field:
*MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year in 2010
*MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year in 2011
*MaxPreps Junior All-American in 2012
*Three state titles in three seasons
*The No. 3 recruit in
the Top 247{PAGEBREAK}
PEPPERS ON THE TRACK
Peppers, who competes part-time as a sprinter, won gold medals in both the 100 and 200 meters at the Meet of Champions.
Photo courtesy of Scott Langan
Peppers started his sophomore year running in the 11-second range for the 100 meters, a time that is very fast — but not elite.
As a junior he ended his basketball season early and began to dedicate himself to the spring track season. In between taking recruiting trips and meeting with visiting football coaches, Peppers managed to shave over a half-second off his 100m time, clocking a 10.5 outdoors in the rain.
Peppers has been called the ultimate competitor, for the ferocity with which he competes. He's not a year-round track runner — in fact Peppers does not even compete in indoor track. Still, he has no qualms about doing battle with — and defeating — runners who perfect their craft 12 months a year.
"When you're in a relay and you get him the baton, there's no telling what time he could run if there's a kid in front of him," Russo said.
At the Meet of Champions, Peppers took home gold in both the 100m and the 200m. Next year, he has even bigger plans.
"What I really want, and what I will come back for next year, is to set state records in both of the sprint events," he told
the Bergen Record.
Here are some of Peppers' top achievements on the track:
*Non Public A state champion in 100m and 200m
*Meet of Champions gold medal winner in 100m and 200m
*Personal best of 10.51 in the 100m
*Personal best of 21.13 in the 200m{PAGEBREAK}
