Brycen Hopkins, Purdue

Height: 6’4″
Weight: 245 pounds
40-yard dash: 4.66 seconds
Vertical: 33.5 inches
Broad Jump: 116.0 inches

This year’s tight end class appears to have no consensus No. 1 tight end, though Hopkins is certainly in the mix. He ran the second fastest 40 time among tight ends at the Combine, and best of all, his speed shows up on the field.

While at Purdue, Hopkins ramped up his production each year, topping out at 61 receptions for 830 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019, all career highs. Hopkins had more 100-yard games over the last two years than Jalen Reagor did during his career at TCU. Hopkins also went out on a high note, totaling at least five receptions in six of his last seven games, including 16 receptions, 269 yards, and four touchdowns over the final two games of the 2019 season.

Here’s my detailed scouting report on Brycen Hopkins (ratings out of five stars):

Size/Versatility

He’s going to be the “move” tight end in the offense. Watched Purdue line him up all over the field, including the backfield. While he’s about as versatile as you can get in that aspect, not every team can/should draft him, as he’s not someone you’d put in-line and expect him to do well. He’s a bit undersized for an in-line blocker (as you’ll read later), which limits his overall versatility and appeal to a lot of teams. His size is precisely what you’d want in a move tight end, as he’s built like a big receiver. Because there are pros and cons here, he gets an average grade.

RATING: ⭐⭐ 1/2

Route Running/Ability to Separate

He can turn off the jets and come to a stop in a hurry for a guy who’s as big as he is, which allows for easy completions on curl routes. Has very good change of direction while not losing much speed in his route. He also understands zone coverages and where it’s best for him to sit in a soft spot. He’s advanced as far as his route tree, too. If a team doesn’t need their tight end to do much blocking, Hopkins can come in and produce for them right away.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Speed

He moves like a wide receiver who’s extremely fast for his size. By comparison, Auden Tate (6-foot-5, 228 pounds) ran a 4.68-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, while Hopkins ran a 4.66-second time at 245 pounds. On the field, I’ve watched him consistently outrun linebackers, and even cornerbacks/safeties from time-to-time. Some tight ends can shine at the Combine (looking at you, Albert Okwuegbunam), though Hopkins may have had the best play speed among tight ends in this class.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hands/Contested Catch Ability

Watched him go up and get a few balls, though there was a lot of double-catching going on where it wasn’t exactly clean. I also watched him drop a few balls that were a smidge behind him. He does a good job with his timing for jump balls but needs to extend and get his hands together much more frequently. If he can’t contribute in-line, he needs to be a consistent catcher of the football.

RATING: ⭐⭐ 1/2

After the Catch

Most tight ends who are as athletic as him aren’t great after the catch because they sacrifice bulk for speed, but Hopkins isn’t the easiest man to bring down. Watched multiple tight ends drag him out of bounds rather than to the ground (not by choice). He gets up to speed quickly, which help him get upfield when there’s a trailing defender.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

In-Line Blocking

He’s not someone you’re going to trust taking on an edge defender; that’s for sure. He’s more of a chip-blocker than anything. His effort is solid but can easily be overpowered. There were also times where it may have been a miscommunication, but he flat-out didn’t block a defender on a run play and it led to his running back getting tackled for a loss. The worst part about his blocking is not understanding leverage and allowing a defender to get inside of him when he was clearly supposed to keep him on the edge. Bottom line is that he’s not going to be blocking in-line any time soon, though he is better when on the move, or acting as somewhat of a fullback.

RATING: ⭐⭐

Projected Draft Spot

The range of opinions on tight ends in this class is about as diverse as I’ve ever seen, as there are up to five different tight ends who’ve been No. 1 on somebody’s board. While Hopkins has his flaws, he’s a weapon in today’s NFL and should be off the board by the end of Day 2 (third round). As mentioned throughout this profile, Hopkins needs to land with a specific team who has a specific role in mind. The team should use plenty of 2TE sets and/or have a need (or upcoming need) for a move tight end. Because of that, the Bears, Redskins, Patriots, and Colts should be the top teams to watch for Hopkins.

NFL Comparison

When comparing Hopkins to today’s NFL players, you need to narrow it down to those who are always moving, and most of those guys are also typically the best fantasy players. Think about Greg Olsen, Zach Ertz, Jimmy Graham, and Jared Cook. None of them were very good blockers but stayed on the field because of their ability to stretch a defense and create mismatches. Hopkins doesn’t have the hands that those players do, which is why I don’t want to compare him to them, though his route-running is certainly right up there. Can Hopkins continue to grow and develop better technique with his hands?

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Mike Tagliere is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeTagliereNFL.