NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- New Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is looking forward to the opportunity to help groom some of the younger receivers on the team.
The 11th-year veteran joins a group including second-year wideouts Treylon Burks and Kyle Philips. Hopkins mentioned past veterans such as Andre Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald, whom he learned from when he was with the Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals, respectively.
Now it's his turn to play the mentor role with the Titans.
"I approach it as a challenge to help those guys get to where they want to get to," Hopkins said. "Obviously, it's about the team, so whatever I can do to help those guys on and off the field, that's what I'll do."
This is nothing new to Hopkins. He pointed to Will Fuller V's emergence as a rookie receiver in 2016 and the younger receivers on the Cardinals as examples of past mentoring results.
Titans coach Mike Vrabel said Hopkins has already shown great energy since first coming to the team's facility Monday and doing the conditioning test Tuesday.
At 31, Hopkins believes his game will continue to be productive because of his football acumen and the pace at which he plays. He said he started to train differently by working with a speed trainer at Exos in Arizona because he never ran track before.
Though some have questioned his practice habits, Hopkins credits his success to putting in the hard work.
"As much as people say I don't practice, I don't think you can put up the type of numbers I have without practicing," Hopkins said. "Of course that's overblown. I think that started in Houston when they were trying to, well whatever. It's overblown."
Vrabel said the Titans will have a practice plan for Hopkins that is yet to be determined. Vrabel added that Hopkins told him of a prior engagement that will cause him to miss a couple of practice days early in camp.
"I respect how he's handled that, allowing me to take personal leave to handle some family things," Hopkins said. "That's who Vrabel is. That's part of the decision why I came here."