- Height: 6-2
- Weight: 231
- School: Missouri
- Class: Senior
| PRO | CON |
|---|---|
| Hopper’s long frame allows his length to make athletic tackles in space, specifically in the run game. His athleticism and explosiveness (third among combine linebackers in athleticism score) shows up with his ability to fly to the play and cut it off in the second level. | With elite instincts needed to play in the second level in the NFL, Hopper fails to react to the ball and action in the backfield as quickly as he could. With his explosiveness, he has been able to mostly contain that issue in college, but it could get quickly exposed in the NFL. |
OVERVIEW: For a Missouri team that exceeded expectations in 2023 and won the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium over Ohio State, Hopper was a productive player and leader at the linebacker position for the Tigers. His 133 tackles and 20 tackles for loss over his final two seasons stamped his mark as one of the SEC's top players at the position – earning Second-Team All-SEC honors in 2023 as well as being a finalist for the Dick Butkus Award.
COMPARISON: Micah McFadden