After a return visit to Missouri on Friday, Hermann (Mo.) defensive end Daeden Hopkins has announced his commitment to the Tigers.
Missouri beat out the likes of Iowa State, Kansas State, Penn State, Minnesota, and others for the 6-foot-6, 210-pound prospect.
While ultra-talented on both sides of the ball, Missouri originally offered Hopkins as a tight end back in November, but now like him as an edge rusher on defense as new Tigers defensive line/edge coach Brian Early has been leading the charge in his recruitment.
"He is an amazing coach," Hopkins said of Early. "In my recruitment he’s been talking with me a lot and we have built an amazing relationship.
"Him and all the defensive staff really like my quickness and how I can get to the quarterback."
During his junior season, Hopkins tallied 37 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and nine sacks.
The rising three-star prospect attended the Tigers' win over Kansas State in September and was also on campus for a January Jr. Day visit before his recent return trip on Friday.
Naturally, Hopkins has also built a strong relationship with Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz during his recruitment as well.
"He is also a very easy person to talk to," Hopkins said of Drinkwitz. "He was very laid back and relatable and our conversation branched out to things other than strictly football."
With Hopkins in the fold, Missouri now has seven total commitments in their 2025 class. He is the fourth pledge from within the state or the St. Louis metro area, joining three-star linebacker Jason King and four-star talents Jason Dowell and Jack Lange.
Hopkins already has an official visit scheduled with Missouri for the weekend of June 21st-23rd.
========
Talk about this story and more in The Tigers' Lair
Make sure you're caught up on all the Tiger news and headlines
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for video and live streaming coverage
