(AP photo)

By Tyler Barto
Twitter: @Tyler_Barto
tbarto@trentonian.com

PISCATAWAY — Jabrill Peppers has played in only three games this season, but Leonte Carroo hopes he sees the chatty Michigan true freshman over top of him on some plays Saturday.

Peppers, Rivals.com's third-ranked recruit a year ago, will reunite with three prominent ex-teammates at Don Bosco Prep when the Wolverines visit Rutgers.

"Jabrill is a competitor," Carroo said last weekend. "He's going to make you play hard. I'm one of those kids that loves the trash talk. It motivates me and it makes me play harder. I'm hoping he's the same Jabrill and he comes in the game talking crap, because then it's going to be a long game."

Carroo, Peppers and Darius Hamilton were all part of the Don Bosco team in 2011 that went undefeated and ran the table as USA Today's No. 1 high school team. Quarterback Gary Nova played with him in 2010.

Peppers spent his first two seasons in Ramsey before transferring to Paramus Catholic.

"Jabrill's a great player," Hamilton said. "He was a guy who could play running back, cornerback. Personally I always thought he was a better cornerback. He's always been a great player. It's always been something that came natural for him."

Peppers, who held a Rutgers offer, became an Internet phenomenon when a clip of him breaking several tackles in a preseason scrimmage his senior season went viral.

But Carroo remembers another impressive moment when they played Mission Viejo (Calif.) in 2011.

"He caught a little screen pass and he made a double spin move," Carroo said. "It was just back-to-back spin moves. It was crazy. He made plays like that throughout his career. He truly is a great player, I give credit where credit's due. He's back in Jersey, and I know he's going to be overwhelmed."

Peppers has eight total tackles in three games along with a punt return for 6 yards.

"He's a great player and somebody who represented Don Bosco well," said Nova, who could find Peppers in his crosshairs. "Obviously he transferred out. It'll be fun. He's one of the best players around, so it's always great to play against the best."