DeAndre Hopkins

DeAndre Rashaun Hopkins (born June 6, 1992), nicknamed "Nuk", is an American football wide receiver for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Texans in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He played college football at Clemson.

Early years
Hopkins attended D. W. Daniel High School in Central, South Carolina, where he played football, basketball, and ran track. During his high school football career, Hopkins had 57 receptions for 1,266 yards and 18 touchdowns on offense and 28 interceptions and five touchdowns on defense.

While on the basketball team, he played as a guard and point guard, scoring 1,453 career points for the D.W. Daniel Lions basketball team. His senior season, 2009–10, the Lions won their third South Carolina State Championship, and Hopkins was named the Independent Mail's player of the year.

College career
Hopkins enrolled in Clemson University, where he played for the Clemson Tigers football team from 2010 to 2012 under head coach Dabo Swinney.

2010 season
Hopkins started his collegiate career with two receptions for 23 yards against North Texas in a win on September 24. The next week, against Presbyterian, he scored his first collegiate receiving touchdown. On November 13, in a road loss to Florida State, he had eight receptions for 106 yards. In the final game of the regular season, the Palmetto Bowl against rival South Carolina, he had seven receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown. In the 2010 Meineke Car Care Bowl against South Florida, he had nine receptions for 105 yards to close out his freshman season. Hopkins was Clemson's leading receiver with 52 receptions for 637 yards and four touchdowns. In addition, he played basketball after his freshman season.

2011 season
In the season's third game against Auburn, Hopkins had seven receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown in the victory. On October 22, against North Carolina, he had nine receptions for 157 yards and a touchdown in the victory. Nearly a month later, against NC State, he had five receptions for 124 yards in the loss. In the ACC Championship against Virginia Tech, he had seven receptions for 92 yards in the victory. In the 2012 Orange Bowl, he had 10 receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown in the historic 70–33 loss to West Virginia. As a sophomore in 2011, he had 72 receptions for 978 yards and five touchdowns.

2012 season
Hopkins started the 2012 season off strong with 13 receptions for 119 yards and a touchdown in a win over Auburn. One week later, against Ball State, he had six receptions for 105 yards and three touchdowns. On September 29, against Boston College, had had 11 receptions for 197 yards and a touchdown in the victory. In the following game, he had seven receptions for 173 yards and two touchdowns against Georgia Tech. On November 3, in a game at Duke, he had four receptions for 128 yards and three touchdowns. He closed out the regular season with one receiving touchdown in each of the last three games. In the 2012 Chick-fil-A Bowl against LSU, he had 13 receptions for 192 yards and a touchdown. In his junior season in 2012, Hopkins had one of the best receiving seasons in ACC history, with an ACC-best 1,405 yards on 82 catches and a school-record 18 touchdowns (second in the nation) earning First Team All-Conference honors. Hopkins, along with junior quarterback Tajh Boyd and wide receiver Sammy Watkins, combined to make one of the most prolific passing offenses in college football and broke many individual and career school records. Hopkins left Clemson with career record for receiving yards (3,020) and career touchdown grabs (27) with at least one score in each of the last 12 games. On January 10, 2013, Hopkins decided to forgo his senior season at Clemson and enter the NFL Draft.

College statistics
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Professional career
Coming out of Clemson, Hopkins was considered a top prospect and received an invitation to the NFL combine. He completed nearly all of the combine drills, but was unable to finish the three-cone drill after suffering an apparent calf injury. On March 7, 2013, he chose to participate at Clemson's pro day, along with teammates Malliciah Goodman, Jaron Brown, Brandon Ford, Jonathan Meeks, Dalton Freeman, Jonathan Willard, and six others. He performed the 40-yard dash, 20-yard dash, 10-yard dash, and positional drills for scouts and team representatives. Hopkins attended private workouts or visits with the Dallas Cowboys, Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, and had two with the St. Louis Rams. At the conclusion of the pre-draft process, Hopkins was projected to be a first or second round pick by NFL draft experts and scouts. He was ranked as the third best wide receiver prospect by NFL.com draft analyst Josh Norris, the fourth best wide receiver by Sports Illustrated, and was ranked the fifth best wide receiver by NFLDraftScout.com and NFL analyst Mike Mayock.

The Houston Texans selected Hopkins in the first round (27th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft. He was the second wide receiver selected, behind Tavon Austin (St. Louis Rams, eighth overall).

He was the second wide receiver in franchise history to be drafted in the first round, the first being Andre Johnson who was selected third overall in 2003. It was also just the second time in 10 years that the Texans selected an offensive player (the other selection was left tackle Duane Brown) in the first round.

2013 season: Rookie year
On July 24, 2013, the Houston Texans signed Hopkins to a four-year, $7.62 million contract that included $6.18 million guaranteed and a signing bonus of $3.92 million. The first three years of the contract were fully guaranteed.

The Houston Texans selected Hopkins in hopes for him to fill a role opposite Andre Johnson. He entered training camp slated to be the starting wide receiver with Johnson and was officially named the starter, heading into the regular season.

He made his professional regular-season debut in the Houston Texans' season-opener against the San Diego Chargers and made five receptions for 55-yard in the 31–28 victory. His first career reception came on a pass from Matt Schaub for no gain in the second quarter. On September 15, 2013, Hopkins caught a season-high seven passes for 117 receiving yards and scored his first career touchdown reception on a three-yard pass from quarterback Matt Schaub in the Texans' 30–24 overtime victory against the Tennessee Titans. It was Hopkins first game with over one hundred receiving yards. On October 20, 2013, he caught three passes for 76-yards and scored a touchdown on a 29-yard pass from Case Keenum during a 16–17 loss to Kansas City Chiefs. On December 2, 2013, Head coach Gary Kubiak was fired after the Houston Texans posted a 2–11 record. Hopkins finished the 2013 season with 52 receptions for 802 receiving yards and two touchdowns. His rookie season was marred by inconsistent quarterback play by Matt Schaub that led to Schaub's benching after nine interceptions in five games. Hopkins was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team for the 2013 season.

2014 season
Hopkins returned as the starting wide receiver, alongside Andre Johnson, under new head coach Bill O'Brien to begin the 2014 season.

He started the Houston Texans' season-opening 17–6 victory over the Washington Redskins and caught four passes for 89-yards and scored a new career-long 76-yard touchdown on a pass by quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. On September 21, 2014, he had six receptions for 116-yards during a 30–14 victory over the New York Giants. In the game, Hopkins had a spectacular one-handed catch that was negated by a penalty. During a Week 7 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Hopkins made six receptions for 108 receiving yards in a 23–30 loss. On November 30, 2014, Hopkins caught a season-high nine passes for a season-high 238 receiving yards and two touchdowns as the Texans routed the Tennessee Titans 45–21. Hopkins was the Houston Texans leading receiver in 2014, recording 76 receptions for 1,210 yards and six touchdowns in 16 games and 16 starts.

2015 season
Hopkins was solidified as the Texans' number one receiver to begin the 2015 season after veteran Andre Johnson departed to the Indianapolis Colts in free agency.

He started the Houston Texans' season-opener against the Kansas City Chiefs and caught nine passes for 98-yards and two touchdowns in the Texans 27–20 loss. On September 27, 2015, Hopkins recorded his first 100-yard receiving game of the season, with eight receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown in a 19–9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hopkins had an even better game the following week, recording nine receptions for 157 yards in a loss to the Atlanta Falcons. In Week 6, against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he had 10 receptions for 142 yards and two touchdowns to earn AFC Offensive Player of the Week. In Week 13 against the Buffalo Bills, Hopkins broke the Texans' franchise record for most touchdown receptions in a season, which was formerly held by Andre Johnson, with his tenth reception. In the 2015 season, his usage increased to 192 targets, which ranked third among NFL wide receivers, trailing only Antonio Brown of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons.

Hopkins finished with career highs in receptions (111), receiving yards (1,521), and touchdowns (11), despite playing with four different quarterbacks (Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett, T. J. Yates, and Brandon Weeden). He earned his first career Pro Bowl nomination and was named second-team All-Pro. He was also ranked 19th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016.

2016 season
On July 30, 2016, Hopkins did not report to training camp after he announced he was holding out for a new contract. On September 15, 2016, Hopkins was fined $6,076 for an equipment violation regarding improper cleats on his shoes. The cleats were revealed to be Yeezy 350 Boosts cleats designed by Kanye West. In the 2016 season, Hopkins suffered through some small regression as the quarterback play of Brock Osweiler lacked positive consistency. The Texans finished with a 9–7 record and won the AFC South. They went on to lose in the Divisional Round of the 2016–17 NFL playoffs to the New England Patriots who went on to win the Super Bowl. He had 78 receptions for 954 yards and four touchdowns in the 2016 season, all his lowest totals since his rookie season in 2013.

2017 season
On August 31, 2017, the Houston Texans signed Hopkins to a five-year, $81 million contract extension with $49 million guaranteed and a signing bonus of $7.5 million.

On September 10, 2017, in the season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Hopkins caught the first NFL touchdown pass of quarterback and fellow Clemson Tiger Deshaun Watson's career. In the 29–7 loss, Hopkins finished with seven receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown. During Week 8 against the Seattle Seahawks, Hopkins posted an impressive performance with 224 receiving yards, which was highlighted by a 72-yard touchdown. However, his performance was overshadowed as the Texans lost 38–41. On December 19, 2017, Hopkins was named to his second Pro Bowl. Hopkins did not play in Week 17 due to a calf injury. He finished the season leading the league in receiving touchdowns with 13 and scoring among wide receivers with 78 points. Hopkins was named as a First Team All-Pro for the 2017 season and was ranked 13th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2018.

2018 season
In Week 2 of the 2018 season, Hopkins recorded six catches for 110 yards and a touchdown in the 20–17 loss against the Tennessee Titans. During Week 4 against the Indianapolis Colts, he had 10 receptions for 169 receiving yards and a touchdown in the 37–34 overtime victory. In the following game, on Sunday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys, he had nine receptions for 151 yards, which included a key 49 yard catch-and-run in overtime to help set up the game-winning field goal. During a Week 8 42-23 victory against the Miami Dolphins, he made an amazing one-handed catch between his legs that didn't count since he was penalized for offensive pass interference. Hopkins finished the regular season with a career-high 115 catches for a career-high 1,572 receiving yards and no drops. He finished third in the league in receptions and second in receiving yards. He was named to his third Pro Bowl and his second straight First-Team All-Pro. The Texans won the AFC South and earned the #3-seed for the AFC Playoffs. In the Wild Card Round against the Indianapolis Colts, playing with a torn ligaments in his shoulder, he finished with five receptions for 37 yards in the 21–7 loss.

Personal life
Hopkins was raised by his mother, Sabrina Greenlee, with whom he has a strong relationship. He credits her for his success. His mother held two jobs throughout his childhood and worked at an automotive factory.

In July 2002, Greenlee had a boiling concoction of lye and bleach thrown on her by a woman Greenlee caught her boyfriend cheating with. It began rapidly peeling the skin off her neck, face and back. Her boyfriend picked her up, placed her in his vehicle and dropped her off at a nearby gas station. The gas station attendant called 911, and Greenlee was rushed to a hospital and later flown to Augusta, Georgia, where she was placed in a medically induced coma for three weeks and had skin grafts applied to her face. Greenlee suffered burns over 17 percent of her body. Her attacker was charged with assault and battery with intent to kill and received a 20-year sentence. She has been incarcerated since 2003. Hopkins' mother was left completely blind as a result of this attack.

Hopkins' father, Harris Steve Hopkins, died in a car accident on I-85 when DeAndre was five months old, leaving his mother to raise him and his three siblings. The November 1992 car accident happened when DeAndre's parents were returning from visiting family in Atlanta. The elder Hopkins' Ford Mustang GTS hydroplaned on the rain-soaked road after making a turn and flipped three times before striking a guardrail on the driver's side. While DeAndre's mother escaped with minor injuries and a concussion, the elder Hopkins succumbed to his injuries eight days later. At the time of his death, Harris Hopkins was 25 years old.

Hopkins' uncle on his mother's side, Terry Smith, played wide receiver at Clemson and went undrafted before having a brief professional career with the Indianapolis Colts on their practice squad from 1995–1996. His time in the NFL was marred by knee injuries that ended his career. In 1997, Smith was shot and killed by Atlanta police after forcing his way into his estranged wife's home and stabbing her. Police opened fire after Smith defied multiple orders. Close friends and former teammates said Smith was nonviolent but that his behavior had changed in the months leading up to his death. Smith played for Clemson from 1990-1993 and finished his collegiate career as the all-time leader in catches (162) and receiving yards (2,681). He was named the Tigers' MVP for the 1993 season and was known for his game-winning touchdown in the 1993 Peach Bowl, defeating Kentucky with seconds left.

Hopkins also has three siblings, two sisters and one brother. His two older siblings, Kesha and Marcus, are from a previous relationship his mother had. His older sister, Kesha Smith, is a Southern Wesleyan University graduate. In 2014, she moved to Houston where she is a basketball trainer and a slot receiver for the Houston Wildcats of the Independent Women's Football League. His younger sister, Shanterria Cobb, signed a letter of intent in the spring of 2016 to play basketball at Texas Southern University. She was a three-time all-region selection in basketball at D.W. Daniel High School. His older brother, Marcus Greenlee, was a standout football and basketball player in high school and briefly attended Georgia Military College.

During his time at Clemson, Hopkins majored in community recreation and sport & camp management. He also holds a SMOOOTH Back-to-school giveaway that supplies book bags and school supplies for over 2,500 children. SMOOOTH is an acronym that stand for Speaking Mentally Outwardly Opening Opportunities Towards Healing.

Growing up, Hopkins idolized his cousin Javis Austin who also played for Clemson. Austin, whose brother died five years earlier during a pickup basketball game, attempted suicide after falling down Clemson's depth chart. He attempted suicide by shooting himself in the face with a .380 caliber pistol. Austin survived but the gunshot destroyed his right eye and damaged his left, effectively ending his football career. He now works as a special educator at an elementary school in Clemson, South Carolina.