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Report: Peppers to work out with LBs and DBs at combine

Joe Maiorana / USA TODAY Sports

As questions about his positional fit continue to mount, Jabrill Peppers will be giving scouts an opportunity to evaluate his abilities all over the field at the NFL Scouting Combine.

The former Michigan standout will take part in drills with the linebackers Sunday before joining the defensive backs Monday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.

Peppers was initially placed in the linebackers group upon being announced as a combine participant. It's unclear whether he was always planning to work with defensive backs, or if change was suggested when he weighed in at 5-foot-10, 213 pounds, but it's certainly a sensible move either way.

Teams will want to see how Peppers fares in drills at both spots as they attempt to envision a hybrid role for his unique skill set.

A lack of coverage production raises concerns about his ability to take on a full-time safety role in the NFL, and his small frame is well below widely accepted thresholds for linebackers.

Any team that takes a chance on him early in April's draft would presumably have a clear defensive role in mind, along with plans for him to step in as a returner.

There are no concerns about his ability in that area of the game, of course, as Peppers averaged an impressive 14.8 yards per punt return during his final season in Ann Arbor.

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