NFL: C.J. Mosley, Top Five Rising Stars
By Evan Massey
5. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans
Perhaps one of the most underrated young players in the NFL is Houston Texans’ wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. He has been putting up a big season this year despite having a very inconsistent quarterback under center, and has proved that he has true star potential. Houston was needing a wide receiver to emerge with age beginning to get to Andre Johnson a bit, and it’s apparent that Hopkins is the next number one target for the Texans.
Through nine regular season games so far this season, Hopkins has caught 42 passes for 684 yards and four touchdowns. At the age of 22, those numbers are impressive and it shows just how dangerous he can become in the future. Standing at 6’1″ with the speed that he possesses, he’ll force issues for any defensive back that tries to defend against him.
Hopkins may never end up being the best wide receiver in the NFL, but he’ll be in the top-10 in the very near future. If the Texans are able to bring in a legitimate franchise quarterback, that potential might just come even faster. Maybe Ryan Mallett can be the future at quarterback for Houston, and maybe he can make things easier on Hopkins with his arm.
Next: 4. Anthony Barr, LB, Minnesota Vikings