Awards and Honors:
2024 Second Team All-UAC (Return Specialist)
FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week: Sept. 23 (2024)
UAC Special Teams Player of the Week: Sept. 23 (2024)
2024: A Second Team All-UAC selection as a return specialist… Appeared in all 12 games, making 11 starts at wide receiver… Caught one pass for three yards in his first start as a Governor at Louisville (Aug. 31)… Had a season-high 151 receiving yards and a touchdown on nine receptions against Southern Illinois (Sept. 7), while adding 71 kick-return and 13 punt-return yards against the Salukis… Returned six kicks for a season-best 91 yards and had four receptions for 30 yards at Central Arkansas (Sept. 14)… Recorded 152 combined return yards against Alabama A&M (Sept. 21) with one kick return for 56 yards and three punt returns for 96 yards, including an 82-yard punt return touchdown, to earn FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week and UAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors... His 82-yard punt return touchdown against AAMU was the third-longest return in program history and fourth-longest in the FCS in 2024, and his 96 punt return yards are the second-most in a single game in APSU history... Additionally, his 152 combined return yards against AAMU were the most by a Governor since Kyran Moore had 223 return yards against Central Florida (10/28/17)... Also added two receptions for 14 yards and his second receiving touchdown of the season against the Bulldogs... Against Southern Utah (Sept. 28), had a season-best 10 receptions for 59 yards, rushed four times for 28 yards, and combined for 80 kick-return yards on four attempts – his third game with at least 175 all-purpose yards in the season's first five weeks... Scored his season's first of three rushing touchdowns on a 52-yard score at Utah Tech (Oct. 19), finishing the game with two carries and a season-high 56 yards on the ground… Had a rushing score a week later against Tarleton State (Oct. 26), in addition to seven receptions for 73 yards… Posted 77 receiving yards and a touchdown on seven catches at North Alabama (Nov. 2)… Caught six passes for 49 yards, while adding one rush for 11 yards against Abilene Christian (Nov. 9)… Had a one-yard rushing touchdown and six receptions for 41 yards against Eastern Kentucky (Nov. 16)… Matched his season high with four carries and added 37 rushing yards, 50 receiving yards, and a 45-yard kickoff return against Chattanooga (Nov. 23)… Finished the season with 64 receptions for 593 yards and three touchdowns while rushing 17 times for 147 yards and three touchdowns... Also returned 24 kicks for 546 yards and 12 punts for 126 yards and a touchdown... Ranked 35th in the FCS, fourth in the UAC, and led the Govs in receptions, also ranked 39th in the FCS and fourth in the UAC with 5.3 receptions per game... His 64 receptions are tied for the eighth-best single-season total in APSU history... Also finished second on the team in receiving yards and touchdowns and third in rushing touchdowns... Ranked 18th in the FCS and fifth in the UAC with 117.67 all-purpose yards per game, while his team-leading 1,412 all-purpose yards ranked 23rd in the FCS and eighth in the UAC... Ranked second in the UAC in punt return average (10.5), while ranking 32nd in the FCS and fourth in the UAC in kickoff return average (22.8)... Ranked fourth in the FCS and was tied for the UAC lead in punt-return touchdowns... Also led the UAC and ranked 14th nationally with 672 combined kick return yards.
Prior to Austin Peay: Played his first three collegiate seasons at Hampton (2021-23). 2023: Started all 11 games at wide receiver for the Pirates… Had three receptions for 43 yards and returned a punt for 19 yards in the season opener against Grambling (Sept. 2)… Tallied three catches for 66 yards against Norfolk State (Sept. 9)… Recorded five receptions for 88 yards at Richmond (Sept. 30)… Had one catch for 19 yards and returned two kicks for 24 yards at Monmouth (Oct. 14)… Rushed three times for 34 yards and had one catch for nine yards against North Carolina A&T (Oct. 28)… Also returned two kicks for 116 yards, including a 96-yard return for a touchdown – tied for the ninth-longest return in the FCS in 2023 – against North Carolina A&T… Totaled three receptions for 60 yards with a 40-yard touchdown catch and returned three kicks for 50 yards at Maine (Nov. 4)… Matched his career high with seven receptions while posting a season-best 111 receiving yards with a season-long 45-yard touchdown reception against William & Mary (Nov. 11)… Added four receptions for 32 yards and four kick returns for 74 yards at Elon (Nov. 18)… Finished the season with 29 receptions for 453 yards and two touchdowns in addition to three rushes for 34 yards… Also totaled 13 kick returns for 284 yards and a touchdown with five punt returns for 25 yards… Led Hampton in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving yards per game (41.18)… Ranked 15th in the CAA in kickoff return yards and 12th in kickoff return average (21.8) – led Hampton in both categories… Also ranked fourth in the FCS and second in the CAA in kickoff return touchdowns… Was named a Second Team HBCU All-America selection at slot receiver by the College Football Network. 2022: Played in 10 games at wide receiver during his sophomore season… Had a career-best seven receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown in the season opener against Howard (Sept. 3)… Recorded three catches for 20 yards and returned a punt 28 yards against Tuskegee (Sept. 10)… Totaled three receptions for a season-best 111 yards and a career-long 75-yard touchdown reception at Norfolk State (Sept. 17)… Returned two kicks for 34 yards against Richmond (Oct. 22) and three kicks for 46 yards at Villanova (Oct. 29)… Rushed once for 11 yards and returned a kick for 13 yards against William & Mary (Nov. 5)… Finished the season with 16 receptions for 236 yards and two touchdowns… Also returned six kicks for 93 yards and three punts for 28 yards. 2021: Played in all 11 games as a true freshman… Had four receptions for 73 yards in his collegiate debut against Virginia Union (Sept. 4)… Added one reception for 17 yards and two kick returns for 48 yards against Howard (Sept. 18)… Recorded two catches for 65 yards with a 31-yard touchdown reception – his first collegiate touchdown – against Norfolk State (Oct. 2)… Returned three kicks for 74 yards against Kennesaw State (Oct. 9)… Had three receptions for 112 yards – his first career 100-yard game – including a season-long 72-yard touchdown catch against North Carolina A&T (Oct. 23)… Rushed twice for 20 yards, caught two passes for 41 yards, and returned a kick for 18 yards at Robert Morris (Oct. 30)… Totaled two receptions for 101 yards with a 44-yard touchdown grab against Gardner-Webb (Nov. 6)… Had five catches for 61 yards and rushed twice for a career-best 40 yards at Campbell (Nov. 13)… Also returned a pair of kicks for 30 yards at Campbell… Had six receptions for a career-high 129 yards in addition to returning four kicks for 102 yards – his first 100-yard kick return outing – and one punt for 17 yards against North Alabama (Nov. 20)… Totaled a career-best 248 all-purpose yards against North Alabama… Finished the season with 29 receptions for 453 yards and two touchdowns in addition to four rushes for 60 yards… Also returned 13 kicks for 286 yards… Posted a career-best 957 all-purpose yards during his freshman season… Ranked fifth in the CAA with 95.70 all-purpose yards per game.
High School: Played wide receiver, defensive back, and returned kicks at Oscar Smith High School… Was named the Virginia High School League Class 6 Offensive Player of the Year during his senior season in 2019… Also competed in track & field for the Tigers, posting a PR of 11.50 in the 100M and 23.47 in the 200M.
Personal: Romon Deshon Copeland Jr. is the son of Romon Copeland Sr. and Nakisha Mitchell… Birthday is July 24… Has two siblings, Ariel and Romaro Copeland… Graduated from Hampton in May 2024 with a bachelor’s in liberal arts… Pursuing a master’s in business administration with a concentration in responsible human resource management.
