The Revenge of Jabrill Peppers, Michigan's Forgotten 5-Star

For all that went wrong throughout Michigan's 2014 campaign, the season actually started with a source of excitement.

But much like everything else that happened to the Wolverines a year ago, it soon turned into a disappointment.

Although optimism in Ann Arbor dwindled as Brady Hoke's reign over Michigan continued, the arrival of 5-star defensive back Jabrill Peppers last summer was still met with plenty of fanfare from the maize and blue faithful. The top-ranked athlete in the 2014 class, Peppers' status as a can't-miss-prospect only seemed to be solidified when he landed the Wolverines' starting nickelback role in the first month of his freshman season.

Recording eight tackles and returning one punt in three games, the start of Peppers' debut season showed promise. But like the rest of Michigan's year, it soon went south quickly.

Suffering an ankle injury that kept him out of the Wolverines' second game of the season against Notre Dame, Peppers would return to play in Michigan's ensuing games against Miami (Ohio) and Utah. The highly touted defensive back, however, wouldn't play in a single game for the remainder of his freshman season, re-injuring his ankle before opting to sit out November in hopes of preserving a medical redshirt.

"I did my research and I found out there was something called the '30 percent rule,'" Peppers said in an interview on Michigan's official website. "I had great faith and based on my research, I wasn't really questioning it."

Peppers' research paid off, with his medical redshirt being granted in February, essentially pressing the reset on his freshman year. It didn't take long for the East Orange, New Jersey, native to get back in the minds of Wolverines fans either, with a video showcasing his absurd athleticism going viral after the first day of Michigan's spring practice.

Jim Harbaugh and his staff's plans for Peppers go beyond backflips, with the 6'1", 205-pounder being penciled in as a starting safety at the start of spring practice. Wolverines defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin said don't count on Peppers being found in one place, though, as Michigan's coaches plan on putting his versatility to use.

"We'll move him around," Durkin said following the Wolverines' second spring practice session. "We're going to find the best fit and the best mix for everyone. He'll play several spots."

With the ability to play safety, corner, nickel and return kicks, Michigan's new staff is evidently high on Peppers. And justifiably so.

The No. 3 overall prospect in the 2014 class, Peppers was recruited by just about every big-name program in the nation, including Durkin during his previous stint at Florida. Ultimately, the Garden State product settled on Michigan, announcing his decision on national television in May 2013.

A lifelong Wolverines fan, Peppers fell in love with the program's previous staff, but not nearly as much as he did with Michigan's storied tradition. That likely helped during his time on the sideline a season ago, as his freshman campaign hardly fit the script of a storybook.

Tony Ding/Associated Press

Regressing for a third consecutive season, the Wolverines struggled to a 5-7 record, with Hoke's fate of being fired seemingly decided by late October. Peppers admitted 2014 wasn't everything he envisioned it to be, but also said he's thankful for the paradigm shift he endured.

"It definitely opened my eyes to a lot and the things I may have taken for granted in the past," Peppers said as he looked back on his first freshman year. "Me, being young and wanting to be out there and not necessarily knowing how to be injured, how to keep team morale and keep guys spirits up."

Make no mistake though, Peppers is excited to end his time on the sideline and get back to his playmaking ways. And despite still just being a freshman, it's not a stretch to think that the charismatic Peppers could be a leader in a program still searching for an on-field face in its latest reboot.

“We have high expectations for Jabrill. But more importantly, Jabrill has high expectations for himself,” Durkin said. “Anytime those things match together, it’s a great combination.”

Tony Ding/Associated Press

Peppers doesn't disagree.

"I'm definitely more hungry than ever right now," he said. "I just can't really wait to showcase what I can really do and told myself and set my goals that I would get, and the things that I would be."

Once again, Peppers finds himself as a source of optimism in Ann Arbor. Only this time, he plans on remaining one.

Ben Axelrod is Bleacher Report's Big Ten Lead Writer. You can follow him on Twitter @BenAxelrod. Unless noted otherwise, all quotes obtained firsthand. All statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com. Recruiting rankings courtesy of 247Sports.