Those who have watched NFL football over the last decade are well aware of DeAndre Hopkins' skills.
The Ravens are enjoying learning of them on the fly.
"It's funny, I was watching the tape this morning very early, and I just thought that the young corner was covering DeAndre as well as he could," coach John Harbaugh said Monday, via The Baltimore Sun. "He couldn't cover him any better, and yet, Lamar (Jackson) puts the ball in a great spot, and DeAndre makes a great catch. Why is he as good as he is? That's a question for the Lord. He gave him that talent, and he's just great at making plays."
Hopkins' brand has long been defined by spectacular grabs, whether they occurred in Houston, Arizona or Tennessee. He's made them at every stop along the way, and through two weeks with the Ravens, he hasn't changed his style.
Take a quick look at his one-handed touchdown grab in Buffalo in Week 1, or his two long catches -- including one that ended in the end zone and another that concluded a yard short of pay dirt -- against Cleveland in Week 2. They're fantastic displays of hand-eye coordination amid the high-speed chaos of an NFL game.
For Hopkins, they're just more of the same.
"It's not a technical process, it's just muscle memory from doing it for a while, trying to make a play however you can," Hopkins said.
Hopkins' signing with the Ravens might have flown under the radar of the average NFL fan, especially those who only know him from his last two seasons spent in Tennessee and Kansas City. But those who properly recall Hopkins' receiving artistry from his best years -- including three first-team All-Pro selections in Houston and a legendary snag of a Hail Mary in Arizona -- know Hopkins has owned game-changing skills for quite some time.
With this in mind, Hopkins' addition was significant, especially for a Ravens offense that already finished atop the league in yards per game last season.
Through two weeks, his quarterback has come to learn just how valuable Hopkins can be to their offense.
"A guy who can be covered and still make plays? I feel like we have that, but he's different," Jackson said this week of Hopkins. "He's a vet, and he has seen it all at the cornerback position. The guy has huge hands to catch the ball -- one hand, two fingers -- it doesn't really matter."
Hopkins' rare skill set was on full display when he hauled in his first touchdown grab in Buffalo and when he snagged the long pass that set up the Ravens on Cleveland's 1-yard line in Week 2. Hopkins hasn't seen a high volume of targets -- four catches on as many targets for 99 yards through two games -- but in this offense, he doesn't need it to make a difference.
The Ravens (1-1) now know what they have in Hopkins: a weapon who can make defenses pay for loading up the box and produce huge chunks of gains. It's a key part of why Baltimore boasts one of the most threatening offenses in the NFL.
As for those who thought Hopkins had lost his ability to contribute to a contender? Well, Jackson has a simple message for them.
"I seen it his whole career," Jackson said of Hopkins. "Even when I wasn't in the league, I've been watching 'D-Hop' make spectacular catches and when he was on other teams as well. … I believe people called him 'washed' and stuff like that, but he's showing otherwise."
Hopkins, Jackson and Co. host the Detroit Lions (1-1) on Monday night at 8:15 p.m. ET.
