In the modern era of college football, recruiting is a fluid business. And Auburn have felt the ebb and flow of talent acquisition the last 24 hours. On Wednesday the Tigers suffered a blow, as 4-star receiver Karmello English decommitted from the program. But WR Coach Ike Hilliard has reeled in another 4-star pass catcher to take his place. Adam Hopkins, of Thomasville, Georgia, becomes Auburn’s eighth recruit of the 2023 cycle. More impressively, seven of the eight all have 4-star ratings courtesy of the 24/7 composite.
https://twitter.com/AUFAMILY/status/1570403329716678657
Coach Hilliard has been nothing short of impressive since coming to The Plains this offseason. His work on the recruiting trail has yielded immediate results, attracting the commitments of three blue-chip prospects. As is to be expected, one of those commitments – Karmello English – has recently reopened his recruiting. But that hasn’t deterred Hilliard, and The Tigers are back up to having two exciting receiving talents in the class. Hopkins alluded to the relationship he has forged with Hilliard when explaining his commitment to AU:
“He’s a good guy, man. When I was there, I talked to him. We kept it cordial. We talked about football, talked about education, talked about a lot of stuff. You know he has a big impact on the team because when you go down there, everybody’s just saying, ‘Coach Hilliard’s good…’.”
Family Vibe Appeals To Hopkins
Attracting another recruit from Georgia shows the great job The Tigers are doing drawing in talent from the Peach State. Auburn has created something of a pipeline with west Georgia, from Atlanta down to the Florida border. Hopkins, who becomes Auburn’s highest-rated recruit of the cycle, noted the family atmosphere at Jordan-Hare as a big factor in his decision:
“I’m talking to all of the coaches. At this moment, I have bonds with all these guys. At the other schools, I just have bonds with a few people and I really don’t know the others… With them, I just have everybody bonding with me. That’s cool. I’ve never had that before. It felt like family. My first time coming down here, the experience went very well. They treated me great. I loved that.”
Hopkins also noted how the new coaching regime went out of their way to rekindle contact with him. Auburn reached out to Hopkins early during Gus Malzahn’s tenure, but communication died off. With Coach Harsin ramping up the recruiting drive, Hopkins became a key target – something the receiver appreciated. Hopkins alluded to the straight talking head coach, and how he valued his honesty & integrity:
“Coach is a good guy. He’s head-on, gives it to me straight. He lets me know how things are.”
Explosive, Versatile Weapon
Standing at 6’0” and checking in at 170lbs, Hopkins was pegged by many programs as a slot receiver. But initial impressions have this coaching staff viewing him as more of a versatile offensive threat. His explosive Thomas County Central tape shows a pass catcher able to play inside or out, with deep field speed and impressive hands. In his first game of his senior year, Hopkins recorded five catches for 114 yards and three touchdowns. Anybody pigeon-holing him as a ‘Y’ or slot only receiver may wish to pay more attention…
The loss of English in this recruiting class was a blow, but something all major programs suffer. Whilst there is still the opportunity for Auburn to reel in the Phenix City phenom, it shows The Tigers aren’t resting on their laurels. Coach Hilliard will ultimately look to bring in three highly touted receivers in this class, and Hopkins fits the bill. Hopkins and English have eerily similar measurements but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s one or the other. When all is said and done, both talents could be sporting the orange and blue come national signing day.
The addition of Hopkins gives Auburn’s recruiting a much-needed filip heading into the Penn State game. The Tigers’ recruiting class has jumped up to 61st in the nation with their latest addition, and Coach Harsin and his team are far from finished yet. Victory on Saturday against the #22 ranked team in the nation could give the coaching staff further impetus as they look to build their 2023 class. WDE!