Missouri Tigers’ Ty’Ron Hopper selected by Green Bay Packers in NFL Draft Friday

Ty’Ron Hopper ended his 23rd birthday with probably one of the most unique gifts imaginable: his name being called in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Drafted 91st overall by the Green Bay Packers, the now-former Missouri Tigers standout said he had a feeling he’d end up in Green Bay after some initial discussions he’d had with the organization during the pre-draft process.

“Based off of conversations I had with Green Bay, I knew they were showing a lot of interest and I knew they were probably going to be a team that I probably ended up landing at,” Hopper said via Zoom on Friday night. “As for a role, honestly, we didn’t really speak much about that, but whatever role that they need me to do, I’m ready.”

Hopper said he received the call from Green Bay executives while surrounded by his family Friday evening.

“It was crazy,” Hopper said of the reactions. “Everybody just started yelling and things like that, but I just broke out into, I don’t know, I was just sweating.”

“I can’t even explain. It’s just one of the best things in my life. And on my birthday, it can’t get no better than that.”

Hopper, who originally played at Florida for three seasons before transferring to Mizzou, made the decision to return to Columbia for a senior season. Good thing for the Tigers, as he led their defense with 55 tackles through 10 games last fall before being sidelined by an injury.

“I feel like everything paid off,” he said. “I feel like it just helped me as a player coming back last year and working on my game, things that I knew I needed to work on from the previous season.

“So last season meant a lot just to be here tonight.”

Hopper follows defensive lineman Darius Robinson (Arizona Cardinals, 27th overall in Round 1) and cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (Detroit Lions, 61st overall) as NFL-bound Tigers from this past season’s 11-win team.

Hopper earned a 5.94 prospect grade in this year’s NFL Combine, putting him in the “average backup or special-teamer” category, per the NFL’s scoring system.

Here’s what NFL Analyst Lance Zierlein had to say about Hopper recently:

“An off-ball linebacker with length, speed and agility, Hopper is lacking in field vision and instincts. He can be a step late to diagnose play design and has moments where he looks lost in coverage.

“Hopper has sideline-to-sideline range and plenty of physicality to hit what needs to be hit. There are holes in his game that can be exploited, but he has traits and should get a chance as an NFL backup with special teams value.”