Former Clemson star receiver DeAndre Hopkins catches his breath at home
DeAndre Hopkins returned home this past weekend for a visit among family and friends.
And trees.
“I miss the trees, man,” the former Clemson wide receiver said. “You can breathe better in South Carolina.”
Hopkins, who soon will enter his fifth season with the NFL’s Houston Texans, breathed deeply of the Upstate air on while helping conduct a youth football camp for kids at this alma mater – Daniel High School near Central – and helping his mother, Sabrina Greenlee, continue her mission against domestic violence.
Greenlee, once a victim of domestic violence herself, founded SMOOOTH (Speaking Mentally, Outwardly Opening Opportunities Toward Healing) along with DeAndre several years ago. The group is dedicated to ending domestic violence by education and empowering women and children through mentoring, counseling, lectures and outreach activities.
Hopkins got by with a little help from his friends – namely, fellow Daniel High and Clemson alumni and football standouts Jarvis Jenkins, DeShawn Williams and Shaq Lawson. Jenkins plays for the Kansas City Chiefs, Williams the Cincinnati Bengals and Lawson the Buffalo Bills.
Hopkins, who has led the Texans in receiving yards and touchdown catches each of the past three seasons, had 78 receptions for 954 yards and four touchdowns in 2016, and could be catching passes from a fellow Clemson alum this fall. Quarterback Deshaun Watson was the 12th overall selection in the NFL Draft last April.
“To see him get drafted where he wanted to get drafted, it was awesome,” Hopkins said.
And Hopkins’ immediate reaction?
“Oh man, fellow Clemson guy – we went through the same workouts, we had the same struggle here, we stayed in the same dorm room,” Hopkins said.
Now they’ve got to be on the same page.
“We’ve got to put in the work,” Hopkins said. “It’s the NFL. Nothing comes easy. But if we put in the work, the sky’s the limit.”
Hopkins knows enough about Watson to be convinced that he’ll be a quick study.
“They give you a playbook and they expect you to come out and know the plays,” Hopkins said. “Deshaun is doing a great job right now. He’s the type kid you don’t have to tell him much. He gets it.”
Hopkins reports to the Texans’ training camp in White Sulfur Springs, W.V., on Wednesday as the team makes a concerted effort to beat the Texas heat.