Clemson legendary WR DeAndre Hopkins is joining the offensive staff of huge ACC rival

Well, this is something... On Friday afternoon, CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer reported that "Georgia Tech is currently expected to add former NFL star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins as a member of its offensive staff." Hopkins spent 13 NFL seasons out of Clemson, most notably with the Houston Texans and the Arizona Cardinals. He most recently played for the Baltimore Ravens last fall.

Zenitz mentioned that a big reason Hopkins is heading to Georgia Tech is because of George Godsey.

Godsey has been a part of John Harbaugh's last four staffs in Baltimore as their tight ends coach. The former star quarterback of the Yellow Jackets is back at his alma mater having replaced Buster Faulkner as Georgia Tech's offensive coordinator under Brent Key. Hopkins first got connected with Godsey from their time together in Houston. Bill O'Brien was at Georgia Tech when Godsey was there.

Georgia Tech later made it official by making a post about Hopkins joining the staff on social media.

So this move actually makes a little more sense than some people would expect. Hopkins may have had a little bit left in the tank, but he is very much in his mid-30s. Rather than trying to stick on an NFL roster heading into training camp, coming aboard at Georgia Tech seems to be the better option for him now. However, Georgia Tech and Clemson are bitter rivals within the context of ACC league play.

It kind of makes you wonder why Hopkins did not come back to Clemson like Tajh Boyd did recently...

DeAndre Hopkins to join Clemson rival Georgia Tech's coaching staff

Look. Hopkins is not the first player to go coach on a rival's team after finishing playing, nor will he be the last. That being said, we have seen how important Boyd has been to Clemson on the recruiting trail since coming over. It may have been a matter of available spots. However, Hopkins is one of the best players in Clemson history. He also starred in the position group that Dabo Swinney knows best.

In a way, maybe Hopkins going to Georgia Tech could jumpstart his coaching career more easily than it would have been going back to Clemson? With Godsey taking over the reins of his alma mater's offense, replacing arguably the best offensive coordinator Georgia Tech has had since O'Brien, he knows what he needs to do. The growth opportunities for Hopkins at Georgia Tech could be sizable.

There is also one other thing that could be an issue for Clemson down the line. That would be in recruitment. While Georgia typically dominates in the Metro Atlanta area, Georgia Tech is one of the handful of programs that tries to build up its roster from players grown in this fertile recruiting soil. It sounds strange to admit this, but Hopkins could make playing for Georgia Tech actually seem cool.

Ultimately, Hopkins is brand-new to the coaching profession. He is only going to be taking on some sort of entry-level job in this field. His name will open doors for him more readily, but he has to put in the work. If a guy who is a millionaire who has wisely invested his money like Hopkins has wants to go be a part of Georgia Tech's staff in a supporting role, so be it. He is choosing the road less traveled.

Right now, we must get our heads around Hopkins wearing Old Gold and White on the Tech sidelines.

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