Santana Hopper

Height:
6-2
Weight:
265
Class:
Redshirt Junior
Hometown:
Shelby, NC
High School:
Shelby HS
Prev School:
Appalachian State

2025: Was a Second Team Preseason All-AAC selection by Athlon Sports...A First Team Preseason Phil Steele selection... A Second Team HERO Sports Preseason Group of Five All-American selection

Prior to Tulane: Transferred in during the spring of 2025 from Appalachian State

2024
All-Sun Belt first team … Ranked No. 1 among Sun Belt defensive linemen with a season-long defensive grade of 82.7, according to PFF … Credited with 36 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks and 2.0 forced fumbles to go along with 20 QB pressures, the No. 1 total among Sun Belt defensive linemen, according to PFF … Pass-rush grade of 79.1 ranked No. 2 among Sun Belt defensive linemen, according to PFF, and run-defense grade of 80.1 ranked No. 3 among Sun Belt defensive linemen … Ranked No. 6 in the Sun Belt in sacks per game and No. 8 in forced fumbles per game … Named a national defensive player of the week after forcing a fumble on a third-quarter sack, stopping a run for no gain, totaling three QB pressures and receiving a 94.5 run-defense grade against ECU … Had a hand in three sacks vs. Georgia State (one solo, two half-sacks) … Added a sack and a career-high 2.5 tackles for loss against JMU … Posted career-high seven tackles in the season finale.

2023
Second-team freshman All-American from College Football News and All-Sun Belt honorable mention … Appeared in all 14 games, starting the final six games as an undersized but explosive defensive tackle after contributing earlier in the year at defensive end … Totaled 34 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and one fumble recovery … Had four-game stretch midway through season that included 5.5 tackles for loss, including 1.5 sacks at ODU … Also had sack in the Sun Belt title game and the Cure Bowl victory … Added a fumble recovery in the 13-9 bowl win … Recorded two tackles for loss against Marshall … Credited with 19 quarterback pressures by PFF … Season-high five tackles in the win against Southern Miss.

2022
Appeared in two games, playing defensive end against Robert Morris and Old Dominion ... Made first career tackle against Robert Morris.

High School
Helped lead Shelby to two state titles and a 35-5 record over his final three seasons … As a senior in 13 games for a 15-1 state championship team, totaled 84 tackles, 14.5 sacks, 38 tackles for loss, three blocked punts and two forced fumbles … In last three years at Shelby, totaled 176 tackles, 24.5 sacks and 73 tackles for loss over 34 games … Had nine tackles, one sack and three tackles for loss in a state championship game win against Wallace-Rose Hill in 2021 … Multiple tackles for loss in 12 of 13 games, with a single-game high of 5.0 … Played for coach Mike Wilbanks to close career at Shelby … Three-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite rankings and a top-20 overall prospect in the state of North Carolina.