Deandre Hopkins Scouting Report

Strengths

• great route runner
• good hands
• great leaping ability and good extension to bring in the deep ball
• crafty, hard runner after the catch
• very productive (only two games under 4 catches: those games he combined for 3 catches for 118 yards and 2 td's)
• Great ball skills (maybe the best in the draft when you look at his timing and average height of 6'1)
• great route runner, can set up a defender by changing speeds and utilizing head fakes

Weaknesses

• only average measurables
• had Sammy Watkins constantly taking coverage away from him
• has a knack for winning jump balls deep but wont take the top off a defense
• had issues against stronger corners and press coverage
• Not spectacular at any one thing (in a deep class of receivers this is more of a depreciation based on the lack of one standout quality which is traditionally what teams look for in receivers passed the first round)

Bottom line: Hopkins is a receiver that will out smart you. He uses his superior route running and feel for the game to set up defenders and gain separation despite average speed and quickness. Has great ball skills and is able to make very tough catches in traffic consistently. Hopkins' route running, ball skills and competitiveness will keep him in the NFL a long time. His skills extend beyond physicality and for this reason he will be 1. a steal and 2. a receiver who can play longer because his game is not predicated on speed and explosiveness

Diagnosis: end of the first to early second (lack of measurable and the platoon of options at receiver could push him to the bottom of the second or even the top of the third)