Dabo Swinney feels DeAndre Hopkins could be making mistake declaring early for NFL Draft

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DeAndre Hopkins was among college football?s best receivers last year and statistically had one of the better seasons in ACC history. The junior was a Third-Team Associated Press All-American and First-Team All-Conference selection. He had 82 catches for a school-record 1,405 yards and ACC-record 18 touchdown receptions. Hopkins posted six 100-yard games, including 197 against Boston College and 191 versus LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. He?ll leave Clemson with the most receiving yards and receiving touchdowns as well as second-most receptions in school history.

After that kind of season it would appear Hopkins doesn?t have much left to prove at the collegiate level and after his performance in last month?s bowl game his stock in the eyes of NFL scouts may never be as high as it is right now. So Hopkins made what he felt was the best decision and declared for April?s draft. But the not-so-good news is that his head coach, Dabo Swinney, isn?t quite sure leaving school early is the right move.

?I felt like he needed another year?, Swinney said. I felt like another year would be beneficial to him from an overall growth standpoint. That?s my opinion. I?ve said this before: unless you are a first rounder I just don?t think it?s worth giving up your senior year in college. That?s what my life experience tells me. I?ve been in college football for 24 years as a player and coach I just think you are always better off more times than not in another year of college maturing physically and mentally in every regard?unless you have a chance to be a first rounder.?

?I know this, he?s going to be a great pro, Swinney said. ?Whoever gets him, there?s no doubt about that. It?s not a matter of can he go play. I think he?s going to play at a high level. I think he?s going to be a great player. The challenge is you have to play four or five years. If you don?t go in at a high level you have to play four or five years to get to a second contract and the odds are way against you to do that.?

We have a while to wait to see if Hopkins is indeed selected in the first round, but it doesn?t appear Swinney feels that will be the case. Depending on whose mock drafts you regularly track many have him as a late first or early second round pick and among the top five or six receiver prospects in the draft.

If you didn?t see Hopkins play this season, here?s some of what you missed.

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Source: http://losthatsportsblog.com/2013/01/dabo-swinney-feels-deandre-hopkins-could-be-making-mistake-declaring-early-for-nfl-draft/

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