Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
The Houston Texans are very excited to see rookie first round draft pick DeAndre Hopkins in action. To say that he is thrilled about making his professional debut is an understatement. The good news is the youngster is not the only one who is amped up to see him play in his first preseason game.
It certainly gives the coaches and fans confidence that Hopkins’ teammates have so many good things to say about him. However, the 21-year-old knows that he does not deserve any recognition until he proves he deserves the praise through his play on the gridiron under the bright lights.
“I’m going against great competition, top-notch Pro Bowl competition out here,” Hopkins said, according to HoustonTexans.com. “So for those guys to say that, it’s an honor. They are making me work. Nothing is easy out here. A lot of guys talking about me making tough catches, but those guys are making a lot of plays on me as well.”
Quarterback Matt Schaub is one person in particular who cannot wait to see Hopkins in action.
“When I saw a tape of him after we drafted him, I realized we had a kid that had size, had speed, had exceptional catching radius,” Schaub told HoustonTexans.com. “I’m excited to get him in a game environment when the defense doesn’t know what he’s going to be doing in his routes where as our defense kind has an idea of how we run our offense.”
It is certainly a lot to ask of Hopkins to step up right away and be a dominant starter. He will be required to take pressure off Andre Johnson as well as make plays when the veteran wide receiver is covered. The Texans believe they have what it takes to be a contender, but they will need the help of Hopkins to go the distance. This is what happens when a team is on the cusp of making a Super Bowl appearance. Rookies are required to have an immediate impact and help the team in any way they can. Hopefully, Hopkins can accomplish that and then some.
