2017 NFL Mock Draft: Panthers steal impact defensive prospect

In his first two drafts, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace has drafted for upside in the first round. Taking wide receiver Kevin White and edge rusher Leonard Floyd in the top ten the past two years has not exactly gone according to play, but there is a bit of a trend developing here.

There may not be a single prospect in this draft class who has more upside than Michigan safety Jabrill Peppers. He is an absolutely incredible athlete who can make plays on a football field in a variety of ways.

He is fast, athletic, smart and has an incredible nose for the ball. Peppers has filled a variety of roles for the Wolverines during his college career. He has spent time as a safety, cornerback, linebacker and even a weapon on the offensive side of the ball.

On top of all that, Peppers is probably the most explosive return specialist in college football. Simply put, this guy can do it all, and he does so at an extremely high level.

There is not a huge need for the Bears at the safety position, but they are not exactly loaded there either. More than anything, Peppers is a guy who can fit anywhere. He can do it all on the field, so the Bears would not have any problem finding a spot for him.

He would immediately make the Bears’ defense better against the pass and the run, while making their entire team much more explosive. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio would undoubtedly have a lot of fun figuring out ways to put Peppers in a position to make plays.