Scott Keepfer

skeepfer@greenvillenews.com

CENTRAL – So what does DeAndre Hopkins do for an encore?

How about simply catch whatever comes his way, which is pretty much what he’s done throughout his football career?

The first-round NFL draft pick out of Clemson enjoyed his best season as a pro in 2015, earning Pro Bowl honors after totaling 111 receptions for 1,521 yards and a club-record 11 touchdowns for the Houston Texans.

But there’s plenty more where that came from, says the wide receiver who has made a habit of making spectacular catches appear routine.

“Even though I’ve continued to get better, I would say I’ve got a lot more in store,” said Hopkins, who recently was named the No. 19 player in the NFL in voting by his peers. “I know that, and I just turned 24 last month, so I’ve got a long career ahead of me.”

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Hopkins, who returned home last weekend to take part in a youth football camp at Daniel High School, his alma mater, and assist his mother and siblings in their annual book bag giveaway, shined in his third season with the Texans, stepping up in a big way following the departure of the Andre Johnson, the team’s all-time leading receiver.

“I had prepared myself well for that since my rookie year,” Hopkins said. “I took the right steps to progress each year.”

Hopkins has done just that, improving from 52 receptions and 802 yards in his rookie campaign to 76 catches for 1,210 yards in his second season. Then he upped the ante once again in 2015, demanding more from himself as he filled the role of the Texans’ primary threat.

“My second year I was a Pro Bowl alternate,” Hopkins said. “So I knew coming into my third year that I had some motivation not to be just an alternate, but to make the Pro Bowl.”

Hopkins earned that distinction by flourishing despite the fact that Houston had four different starting quarterbacks last season. In fact, Hopkins became the first receiver in NFL history to have a 100-yard receiving game from four different quarterbacks in the same year.

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This year the situation should be improved – the Texans signed former Denver Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler to a four-year deal in March. The fourth-year pro went 5-2 as a starter in Denver last season.

“He’s good,” Hopkins said. “He did great things in Denver and hopefully he can carry that on over to Houston.”

If so, Hopkins is optimistic that the Texans can emerge as top dog in the AFC South.

“I have no personal goals right now,” he said. “Whatever I can do to help my team win, I’m going to do. It’s team success first, then my credit will come after that.”

Hopkins said he followed Clemson closely last season as the Tigers advanced to the National Championship Game and is expecting another strong season from his former team this fall.

“I did feel a part of it – me and Sammy (Watkins) were texting all the time – every game, after the game, because we knew we had a national championship-caliber team,” Hopkins said. “We were looking forward to celebrating, but hopefully we can celebrate this year.”

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