BOONE, N.C. — App State Football again has an athletically gifted standout included on the "Freaks List" produced by Bruce Feldman of The Athletic.
Defensive lineman
Santana Hopper was ranked No. 45 overall, making him one of two Sun Belt players in the top 50.
Named a Freshman All-American last season, he began the season as a defensive end and started the last five games at defensive tackle because of injuries at that position. He recorded a sack in the Sun Belt title game after having a four-game stretch earlier in the season that included 5.5 tackles for loss, including 1.5 sacks at ODU.
For the year, Hopper had 32 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and 18 quarterback pressures.
Below is the write-up on Hopper from the "Freaks List" announcement:
No defensive tackle in college football was clocked as fast in-game as Hopper's 20.0 mph. (The next fastest was 18.7 mph.) The 6-2, 265-pounder bench pressed 385 and squatted 655 this offseason and could've gone higher, but his coaches cut him off. He clocked a 4.70 40 with a 1.59 10-yard split.
"He is a monster, still growing and developing," strength coach
Matt Greenhalgh said. "Things are starting to click!"
