(2025 Transfer) DL App St. - Santana Hopper

[Lebowski]

Top 100 Transfer DL out of Shelby, NC

RS So. All-Sun Belt First Team Defense

247 Profile
 

[Stuhoo]

20 minutes ago, Lebowski said:

Top 100 Transfer DL out of Shelby, NC

RS So. All-Sun Belt First Team Defense

247 Profile
 

He was the #522 composite recruit nationally out of high school. Wonder why he ended up at App State. Grades maybe?

[Dave from Dayton]

18 hours ago, Stuhoo said:

He was the #522 composite recruit nationally out of high school. Wonder why he ended up at App State. Grades maybe?

Good question.  Looked at his offers out of high school.  He had a bunch.  They included Oregon, TN, S. Carolina, Auburn, GA Tech., NC State, UNC, AZ St.   He took two unofficial visits: TN and GA Tech.  Official visits to: East Carolina and App St.  

I glanced through some historical blogs and articles.  Seems in or around the time he arrived at App State, he may have had foot and/or knee injuries.  Do not know if he had those in HS.  

Also here is some family football information from an article linked below: 

 Hopper (6-1, 280) is latest in a line of a football-rich family from Shelby that also includes cousins in UNC linebacker Tyrone Hopper, Florida linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper and Boise State tight end Tyneil Hopper. Lampley was a mainstay on the defensive front for a Richmond squad that went 12-1 during his sophomore season.   https://bonesville.net/2021/02/08/defensive-report-card-pirates-lure-experience/

He seems aggressive on defense.  Let's get him and see if he can handle big and talented OL in the B1G.

[Hovadipo]

Got some Kamara to him. Listed at 6'2, was listed at 6'1 as a recruit, might be 6' even. Potential injuries like Dave found, plus not being built quite like those offering schools wanted him to be when they got their own measurements on him = proving it in the Fun Belt.

[Dave from Dayton]

26 minutes ago, Hovadipo said:

Got some Kamara to him. Listed at 6'2, was listed at 6'1 as a recruit, might be 6' even. Potential injuries like Dave found, plus not being built quite like those offering schools wanted him to be when they got their own measurements on him = proving it in the Fun Belt.

My thoughts, too.  Checked the sizes of some DL.  Oregon lists a starter DT that is 6'5" and 310#.  Other DL around are not quite that big.  DLs run smaller than their opposites on the OL.  

That plus Hopper is a RS Soph.  

Circumstantial, yes.  

Still, his highlight video is an eye opener.  And he produces.  And gets noticed.