BRB Groupthink: Ranking DeAndre Hopkins

My opinion on DeAndre Hopkins hasn’t changed over the last two years or so. I think he’s the third best receiver in football right behind Julio Jones (1a) and Antonio Brown (1b) and where I’d place them among each other just depends on how dangerous I’m feeling. Now, I do think Hopkins is the most interesting to watch, the most unique, is the most important to his offense, is the most skillful, and has the best hands hands in the league, but he doesn’t have the ability to turn a slant route into a dance party, and doesn’t have the speed, quickness, straight line running ability these two have.

That’s just my opinion though. Let’s hear it from the rest of the masthead after I asked them:

Lately DeAndre Hopkins as gained a lot of traction as the best receiver in the NFL. Do you agree? Do you think he’s the best receiver in football, and if not, who would you rank ahead of him?

Matt Burnham:

I believe DeAndre Hopkins is the best wide receiver in the NFL. He has the entire package.

His precise route running and his magnetic hands combined with his strength and big play ability leaves him a nightmare for any cornerback or any defensive scheme. There is not a play he cannot make.

Think about the other receivers who have held the title in recent years. Julio Jones has had an MVP-level quarterback for years with an arsenal of weapons drawing their own defensive attention. Antonio Brown was in a similar situation in Pittsburgh.

DeAndre Hopkins has had mediocre quarterbacks with scrubs around him until Deshaun Watson came along. His status as the best receiver in the game correlates with having a legitimate quarterback.

On top of that, he doesn’t bring any diva-like antics with him the way that many great receivers have in the past—active or retired.

The best part about all of this? Nuk is just 27.

Mike Bullock:

Not only do I think he’s the best receiver in the League right now, he’s one of the best of all time.

115 catches and NO DROPS? That’s unheard of. Julio Jones - drops. Odell Beckham Jr? Drops. Larry Fitzgerald, Randy Moss, Marvin Harrison, Tim Brown, Chad Ocho Cinco? Drops. Jerry Rice - drops.

To make it even more of an open and shut case, D-Hop managed to remain dominant in games when everyone in the stadium, including the security guards with their backs to the field, new the ball was coming to Hopkins ‘cause he was the only weapon on the field.

What’s even more awesome is the chemistry with him and Deshaun Watson just gets better every day. They’re both young, extremely talented and have amazing chemistry.

He’s the best and is only getting better...

Kenenth L.:

I still think Antonio Brown is the best receiver. Yes he has Big Ben throwing to him for his entire career, but Brown has a break away speed that Hopkins does not posses. It makes for some spectacular catches in coverage, but Hopkins does not get any separation from his defender. Both players equally command respect from opposing defenses because they see a similar amount of targets each game. I don’t care much for Brown’s personality and videos of him working out with strobe light glasses on on one leg. To quote Marshawn Linch, DeAndre Hopkins is “all about that action, boss”. Meaning, Hopkins does not care about the hype or publicity. A rare trait for receivers.

If Hopkins records 100 receptions in back to back years and Brown takes a dip because David Carr is throwing him footballs, then I’d say it is even heading into 2020. But for now, I can only see one player above Hopkins... and that is Antonio Brown.

Rivers McCown:

He’s in the conversation, for sure. I would definitely call him the most complete player, and I would say he had the best year of any receiver in 2018.

My belief is that the best receiver in the NFL from a scouting perspective is Odell Beckham, he just hasn’t been healthy enough the last two years to be the best.