Today we’re diving back into the pool of freshman wide receivers, and this time we’re looking at Colorado wideout Adam Hopkins and Tennessee receiver Cameron Seldon.
Hopkins surprised a lot of people when he turned down big time offers to go and play for Coach Prime at Colorado, and could be one of the guys who gets on the field immediately on what is almost a completely new roster.
Cameron Seldon helps to replenish a Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver room that sent both Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman to the NFL in the offseason, and that means guys are going to have to step up there too. Let’s get into these freshman wide receivers, their college fantasy football potential and opportunity to play this coming season.
Adam Hopkins – Wide Receiver, Colorado
Adam Hopkins played his high school football at Thomas County General in Thomasville, Georgia. He was offered a scholarship by the Georgia Bulldogs as well as other major offers from the likes of Tennessee, Texas A&M and Auburn.
Hopkins took visits to both Auburn and Texas A&M but committed to Colorado under the new regime. The four star recruit played both wide receiver and corner in high school, totaling 1,555 receiving yards in his young career with 16 receiving touchdowns.
He’s already making some noise in practice, and looks set to make an early impact at the college level.
Cameron Seldon – Wide Receiver, Tennessee
Cameron Seldon is a really nice prospect, standing six foot two and 215 pounds and entering a Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver room looking to reload after its stars headed to the NFL draft.
Seldon played high school football at Northumberland High in Heathsville, Virginia, and was ranked the number one prospect in the state during the recruiting cycle.
The now Tennessee Volunteers receiver was an all round athlete in high school, rushing for 551 yards and 11 touchdowns while catching 18 passes for 365 receiving yards and another five TDs through the air. He played in the 2023 All American Bowl and the Polynesian Bowl, and there just doesn’t seem to be anything this young man can’t do.
2023-2024 CFB Season Opportunity
Adam Hopkins
There isn’t a team in college football with more question marks than the new look Colorado Buffaloes this season. The roster is brand new, with the number of expected starters carrying over from last season currently set at four. Two young men on the offensive line, a tight end and safety Trevor Woods. That’s it.
The Buffs have a monumental amount of transfers, some of which have come over from Jackson State while others have been drawn to the program from all over the country. That means anybody could end up playing at any volume this season. We just don’t know.
Of course, for these young freshmen, that means they have as good of an opportunity to get on the field as anybody. Nobody in the wide receiver room has been in Colorado any longer than Adam Hopkins has.
He is currently listed as a second strong wideout, but has been damaging the secondary in practice and making his mark early at the college level.
Hopkins did arrive at six foot and 170 pounds, but will add some size in the weight room early in his career in Colorado while competing to earn competitive reps.
Cameron Seldon
Tennessee receiver Jalin Hyatt won the Fred Biletnikoff award in 2022 and promptly moved on to the NFL draft, along with Cedric Tillman. Both guys were a major part of the Vols vertical offense, and between them accounted for 138 targets in the 2022 college football season.
While those two guys have moved on, the Volunteers have a full starting group of guys who were waiting in the wings last season. Bru McCoy, Ramel Keyton and Squirrel White had over 1,600 yards between them last season and all three appear set to step up their game this year.
While Seldon might have to work in behind those guys this year, he’s generating a lot of buzz as a popular receiver amongst the coaching staff in Tennessee.
There’s also nothing to say he wont play running back, and looking at the spring game and even the number he wears (23), there’s a good shot he will take some reps out of the backfield.
Seldon had 10 carries in the Tennessee spring game and three receptions, so the Vols look like they might just use him all over the offense.
Pro’s and Con’s for playing time
Adam Hopkins
The risk with Hopkins is the experience of some of the transfers coming across from other college programs as he arrives fresh out of high school.
Travis Hunter was one of the most highly anticipated transfers, with the former five star recruit following Deion to Colorado after impressing at Jackson State. Hunter will likely start for Colorado and already has chemistry with quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who also came over from JSU.
Xavier Weaver will also be a key piece in the wide receiver room having transferred from South Florida. The junior transfer has played four seasons of college ball and managed 700+ receiving yards in both of his last two seasons.
Hopkins will have to earn reps behind Travis Hunter, but he could fight his way into the lineup. Like I mentioned, Coach Sanders and his coaching staff have an entirely new group of players to assess and build a depth chart. There’s no reason a freshman who’s playing at a high level in practice can’t be a feature in that rotation this season.
Cameron Seldon
Versatility is the key here. He played running back, receiver and returner in high school and so far in college appears to be doing the same. At six foot two and 215 pounds with the speed he possesses, Seldon is a very intriguing athlete.
His usage in the spring game included some motion, a screen, several carries and a few broken tackles.
In the up tempo offense he could be really tough to account for if the spring game is anything to go off of. At one point he took a carry up the middle, then lined up in the slot immediately afterwards and caught a quick hitch for a short completion.
Seldon has the speed to take the top off of a defense, or carry the football down the sideline on a breakaway run. He’s just a super fun athlete and Tennessee will find a way to maximize his potential.
The drawback to being a jack of all trades kind of player early on is that it probably means he won’t be a starter at either position. Until he emerges as a standout running back/receiver he will rep in as a part of the supporting cast, and maybe that’s what his freshman year amounts to.
Why draft him in CFB fantasy leagues?
Adam Hopkins
Hopkins is a real weapon. The Colorado wide receiver looks like a really smooth route runner with fluid hips in and out of his breaks. He has the speed to pick up an end around and get down the sideline, and pulls away from corners with relative ease and a smooth stride in the open field.
Colorado could be an explosive offense and a program on the rise in the next few seasons, and guys like Hopkins have the potential to be a key reason for that. So, if you’re firing up your CFB devy league draft, keep an eye out for him.
Cameron Seldon
Because he’s just going to be so much fun to watch develop. Seldon is such a fun prospect with the versatility, athleticism and size, and however his career turns out in terms of narrowing down his skillset, it’s going to be a very entertaining ride.
If I was a devy fantasy football manager I’d be trying to add this guy to my reserves, waiting for the fireworks.
Stock Radar as an NFL prospect
Adam Hopkins 7%
Adam Hopkins has got a really nice skillset. He’s got great size and his game kind of reminds me of Ceedee Lamb. He’s very smooth and fluid and just wins against his man, just like Ceedee.
If the Colorado experiment goes well and Hopkins is heavily involved in the offense over the next few seasons then he will be a highly touted NFL draft prospect.
Cameron Seldon 9%
When you can do as many different things as Cameron Seldon does, at the level he does them at, the NFL is a very real possibility. I’d like to see him convert to full time wide receiver at some point because of his skillset and the longevity the position would give him. At six-two, he’s a taller running back, but would be a perfect wide receiver in the pros.