As for Daxton, I know Peppers was Michigan's last safety recruit with a profile like this (of course, Jabrill's was shinier), but they are such different players. Jabrill was always meant to be near the LOS and be a death merchant for runs and bubble screens. Daxton's game is more about defending the pass at all levels of the secondary. More like Minkah Fitzpatrick in terms of category.
Hill is closer to Peppers in ranking than Fitzpatrick in terms of HS recruit rankings. Peppers was the #3 player in the 2014 class 247Composite, Fitzpatrick was the #30 player in the 2015 class in the 247Composite. Hill is the #12 ranked player in the 2019 class 247Composite rankings.
In terms of skill sets- they are all very different. Peppers was 5'11, 215, explosive, muscular. In that legit 4.4 speed range. Better suited for box safety- not the best coverage skills. Honestly might've been better in HS as a RB than DB. Freak athlete. He's more suited to be a box safety in run support and blitzing the QB and dropping into zone coverage than he is to play deep field safety or be in man coverage.
Fitzpatrick- 6'0, 205, maybe not as explosive but better ball skills and coverage skills than Peppers but still not the greatest man coverage skills. In that legit 4.5 speed range.
Daxton Hill is 6'1.5", 187 and 4.3 flat speed with a 44 inch vertical. All combine verified. Athletically he is superior to both. He's taller, longer, and faster than either of them. In all honesty the kid should be ranked higher than #12 in the composite. Rivals and ESPN are screwing up his ranking. He's #12 in the composite but 247's own rankings have him at #8. And that seems like a more accurate ranking when you take into account the kind of insane measurables he brings to the position. Hill is taller, longer, has a higher vertical, and better recovery speed and man coverage ability than either of those guys did coming out of high school.
