DeAndre Hopkins thoroughly enjoys his matchups against Jaguars starting cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
And the "conversations" too.
"We'll throw something out there in the media that we know for a fact the other one will see and we'll bring it up," Ramsey said in an interview with ESPN.
He recalled one exchange with Hopkins during a Texans-Jaguars game last year. Hopkins made a catch with Ramsey covering him and then scolded his division rival.
"He got up and said, 'Don't ever say Amari Cooper is the best receiver you ever played,'" Ramsey said. "And then I went on that and said, 'Oh he is. That was a fluke catch.' We just keep going back and forth. It's fun, though. I like playing DeAndre Hopkins."
Ramsey relishes the challenge of covering Hopkins, a top receiver he described as "easily top-five" in the league. Hopkins currently leads the NFL with 11 touchdown catches. The Jaguars second-year cornerback has four interceptions and ranks second in the NFL with 17 passes defensed this season.
"I know he's a good, young player," Hopkins said. "I know what he likes to do on the field, I know his game. I think it's fun. It's entertaining. If you're not having fun, why are you out there on the field? There's no point in being out there. He played at Florida State, so that's a college rival of mine. I just like messing with the kid."
In the season opener, Hopkins caught a team-high seven passes for 55 yards and the only touchdown in Houston's 29-7 loss to the Jaguars. Ramsey had three tackles (two solo) and three passes defensed. Deshaun Watson, Tom Savage and T.J. Yates have all found Hopkins for a combined five 100-plus yard games this season.
"It's always been a good matchup with Hop (DeAndre Hopkins) and Jalen Ramsey," head coach Bill O'Brien said. "Jalen Ramsey's a great player. Hop and (A.J.) Bouye, we've watched that for several years here in practice, so we know what that matchup is. That's a tough and a good matchup, too. Hop has been up to those challenges all year. The number one corner for every team covers Hop if they're that type of team, if they're a match team. I think, obviously, when you look at what he's done this year, he's dealt with that pretty well. So, it's going to be another day like that for him. He's going to have to step up to the challenge and I know he's looking forward to it."
The Texans travel to Jacksonville to face the Jaguars in Week 15. Kickoff is set for noon on CBS and SportsRadio 610.
Check out photos from Wednesday's practice as the Texans prepare for Sunday's game in Jacksonville against the Jaguars.
