DeAndre Hopkins is undoubtedly one of the best pass catchers in the NFL and has the numbers to prove it. If all things were equal, the new Arizona Cardinals receiver believes his stats would be even more outrageous.
Hopkins said Thursday on the Jalen & Jacoby Show there is no doubt he's the top wide receiver in the league.
"I definitely think I'm the best," Hopkins said via ESPN. "I know I'm the best."
Every list of the best receivers in the NFL should include the likes of Hopkins, Julio Jones, Michael Thomas, etc. The order of the debate is usually a personal preference. All can dominate.
Nuk said he would trump his counterparts if he had consistent QB play throughout his career.
"Mike's my boy. I love [Saints wide receiver] Michael [Thomas] ... but he knows if I had Drew Brees my whole career what these numbers would be," Hopkins said. "Julio Jones knows if I had Matt Ryan my whole career. That's my boy. I trained with Julio, too. He knows what these numbers would be. Those guys are definitely blessed to be in a position where, their whole career, they had a Pro Bowl quarterback -- quarterback that they spent multiple seasons with. But I don't complain. I don't make excuses. I go out there and work."
For Hopkins' first five seasons, he dealt with a turnstile of subpar QB play. Matt Schaub, Case Keenum, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mallett, Brian Hoyer, T.J. Yates, Brandon Weeden, Brock Osweiler and Tom Savage all started games for the Texans until the roulette wheel finally stopped with Deshaun Watson, who was drafted in 2017 but missed most of his rookie year with a knee injury.
Hopkins has enjoyed his best work with Watson, proving he can be a field-tilting talent when he has a quarterback who can spark an offense.
Now joining forces with Offensive Rookie of the Year Kyler Murray, Hopkins believes he'll continue to show he's the top WR in the game in Arizona.
"Going into this situation with a guy, a young quarterback, that I know is gonna be my quarterback for the future, is great," Hopkins said. "We're able to build a chemistry, and hopefully, I'm able to play more than three seasons with a quarterback. I don't think I've done that yet. So, I'm excited just to see how I'll be able to play with a consistent quarterback."
