Senior defensive lineman for Colorado. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 265 lb · Shelby, NC · Shelby
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
sack · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 sacks, 1 TFL, 1 tackles, vs Weber State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Senior defensive lineman for Colorado. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
Santana Hopper
Disrupts the pocket from the interior. Across five seasons and three programs, three head coaches: Shawn Clark, Jon Sumrall and Deion Sanders. He has been named All-AAC two seasons running, most recently in 2025. The receipt on tape: 3 tackles, 2 TFL against Northwestern, Week 3, 2026.
5 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
The role got bigger.
Career arc
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
ALL-AAC · 1ST TEAM
All-AAC 1st team (2025)
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
2 coachesCoaching transition mid-career: Mike Sanford Jr. → Deion Sanders. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Colorado
Game by game
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 14-13@ Georgia Tech | 1 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 52-21vs Weber State | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | L 7-41@ Northwestern | 3 | 3 | 2.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Total | 5 | 4 | 3.5 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 52–21
vs Weber State
1 sacks · 1 tackles for loss · 1 tackles
Dominant 31-point win at home against Weber State.
With J. Lewis — 366 yds · 4 TD · 0 INT · QBR 85.2 · -23 rush yds (4 car) · 1 TD · D. Greaves — 51 yards per punt · 3 punts · 2 inside the 20
Since week 2: +2 tackles for loss, +3 tackles.
Season context · Team result + system
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: tackles for loss (95th percentile). Strength: qb hurries (93rd percentile). Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home1g | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Road2g | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 1.7 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Deion Sanders
Pass share
43.8%
91 pass / 117 run
Plays / game
69.3
3 games
Team sack rate
4.9%
103 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Player standing · 2026
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Play style
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
CFB Index positional classification
Player DNA
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
His 2025 production profile sits closest to D'Anthony Jones’s 2022 season.
Matches D'Anthony on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Jalen Thornton's senior season at West Virginia (2023).
Matches Jalen on
Differs from Jalen on
Player DNA
AS A TRANSFER Rated as a three-star transfer prospect by 247 Sports. Listed as the No. 232 player in the transfer portal and the No. 16 defensive lineman as of January 7, 2026. Enters Colorado as an undergraduate transfer with one year to play one. AT TULANE (2025) Played in all 14 games during…
12 more on the roster · Colorado team page