Blake was a strong interior pass rushing prospect at this showcase. I liked his effort consistently in everything he did, but most notably in the 1 on 1 period. One thing I like to see is defensive players not to stay blocked, and Blake did a very good job of defeating an initial punch, getting off the block attempt with his hands, and getting penetration in his pass rush attempts. I can easily see him being an impact player for the Wolfpack this upcoming season.

Hopkins has been on our radar for a while, and while his tape isn’t the flashiest, he’s quietly improving as much as any interior lineman in the state. It helps that he’s grown a bit since we last had him in camp, and he hasn’t lost a step with his bigger frame. Hopkins can two-gap as an interior defender, and he eats up space, but still has the quickness to shoot gaps and make tackles in the backfield.

James Hopkins | Class of 2028 | Parkwood | Defensive Lineman
Coming in as the #3-ranked DL in the Class of 2028, James Hopkins lived up to the hype—and then some. Standing at 6’2″, 260 pounds, Hopkins is already showing advanced technique with a deep bag of moves and countermoves, clearly a result of the hard work he’s been putting in.

What sets him apart isn’t just his physical tools—it’s his relentless work ethic. Hopkins competed at a consistently high level, bringing intensity to every rep and demonstrating the mindset of a future leader in the trenches.

With his foundation of technique, size, and drive, James Hopkins is already positioning himself as a top defensive line prospect in his class.

Hopkins knows how to use leverage to his advantage and stonewalls bigger offensive linemen with impressive frequency. Hopkins has a quick first step, but what really stands out on film is his eye discipline. He’s able to guide offensive linemen where he needs to be to make plays in the running game and he always has his head up looking for the ball.

Playing full-time on varsity, James had a productive season with 50 total tackles, 21 of them being solo tackles. That production led to James being selected as an All-Conference player, an impressive feat at a tough position for young players. On film, James has an excellent first step, leading to several tackles for loss in the backfield on running plays. The other impressive thing is his motor – James simply does not stop in running down plays from behind or outside of the box where he lives as a defensive tackle. I am excited to see how James develops going forward physically in Year 2.