Quiet, confident Hopkins looks to make a big statement in his final season
MORE: Training camp coverage
As Purdue grinds through training camp, there has been much chatter about the offensive line, the freshman receivers, the pass rush and even the back-up quarterbacks. The forgotten position? Tight end.
The unit could be one of the strongest on the team, led by fifth-year senior Brycen Hopkins. But few are talking about Hopkins and his tight end buddies.
“You can expect me to do my job and play my role on this team, whether that’s blocking, receiving, special teams, whatever I can do to help,” said Hopkins. “I know a lot of people are expecting me to play a big role at tight end. And that’s exactly what I plan to do.”
The hype is slowing building for the 6-5, 245-pound Hopkins. The Nashville native is on the Mackey Award watch list and he has earned a smattering of preseason All-Big Ten honors from various publications in what could be a breakout final season in West Lafayette.
Hopkins is coming off a season in which he caught a career-high 34 passes for 583 yards and two scores. He enters 2019 with 69 career receptions for 1,115 yards (16.2 ypc) with nine touchdowns. With Cole Herdman gone, Hopkins is the clear-cut No. 1 option at tight end.
“I want to be on top of the Mackey watch list (at the end of the season),” said Hopkins, the son of long-time Tennessee Titans offensive tackle and Illinois product Brad Hopkins. “It is a nice award for me, but I am still working to get to the top of the list.”
Purdue has developed a raft of quality tight ends the last 40 years, from Dave Young, to Tim Stratton to Dustin Keller. Hopkins could move into that elite company with a big 2019.
“I have been getting my head in the playbook and learning more so I can react better on the field,” said Hopkins. “Coach Brohm can know how you are doing based on how quickly you play. I like to play quick and not think as much.”
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It may not be far-fetched to think Hopkins could catch 50 passes this season as defenses focus on Rondale Moore and the array of young talent the Boilermakers have at the wideout position in TJ Sheffield, Milton Wright and David Bell, among others.
"We like the tight ends," said co-offensive coordinator Brian Brohm. "Brycen is a good athlete."
And Hopkins has forged a bond with Elijah Sindelar, a player he came into Purdue with back in 2015.
“Elijah is my guy since Day One when we got here,” said Hopkins. “I am not worried about Elijah. He is looking good, and he is looking healthier, too.”
Sindelar is coming off a lost 2018 season in which he played just two games after dealing with oblique and knee issues. He has looked good in camp and pronounced himself fit. And No. 89, Hopkins’ number, will be on Sindelar’s radar.
“I will be looking for him, no doubt,” said Sindelar. “Brycen is a talented guy. I like all of our tight ends. I think the unit could be good with Darius (Pittman), Payne (Durham) and the freshmen.”
Pittman is a junior who brings a blue-collar work ethic to the field. He is more substance than flash, helping mostly as a blocker. Durham is a 6-5, 255-pound force who can operate as an in-blocker but who also has shown nice hands. And then there are the freshmen: Garrett Miller and Kyle Bilodeau.
“The freshmen came in really big, real strong, too,” said Hopkins. “Payne isn’t a veteran, but he acts like it. He and Darius are doing a great job helping our young guys.”
Jeff Brohm also has been pleased with what he has seen from his new tight ends.
“The tight ends, maybe not right off the bat, they have a bright future here,” said Brohm.
But the position begins and ends with Hopkins.
“Everyone was impatient to get back,” he said. “We are excited to get back out here. I want to make this team better. I wanna lead this team to big things.”
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