There were two things on Deandre Hopkins’ list of things to do when he came home this past weekend. First, go see the new Allen Reeves Football Complex and secondly, while he is there, go see Clemson’s new national championship trophy.
Though he left the Clemson program following the 2012 season to begin his NFL career, Hopkins, like all of Dabo Swinney’s players in his 89 career wins, played a big role in what happened this past January in Tampa, Fla.
Before anyone really knew who Tajh Boyd, Sammy Watkins, Vic Beasley or Deshaun Watson was, there was Deandre Hopkins, Swinney’s first superstar player during an era that has seen the Tigers land one big-time recruit after another.