8A — Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

After winding path to Michigan, 
Hawkins settling in on defense

Brad Hawkins committed 

to Michigan over two years 
ago on July 3, 2015.

Then ranked as a four-star 

athlete 
from 
New 
Jersey, 

Hawkins expected to sign 
with 
the 
Wolverines 
in 

February of 2016 and arrive on 
campus that summer.

As it turned out, his path 

to Ann Arbor would be longer 
than expected.

While 
his 
grades 
were 

fine and he was a qualifier, 
an 
NCAA 
Clearinghouse 

issue popped up: Hawkins 
had 
attended 
two 
high 

schools 
in 
Camden, 
and 

the 
first 
school 
had 
not 

submitted his transcript to 
the NCAA. Because of the 
miscommunication, Hawkins 
wouldn’t find out his status 
until mid-summer of 2016 at 
the earliest — too late for him 
to participate in Michigan’s 
summer program.

Faced with the decision of 

waiting for an answer from 
the NCAA — that he couldn’t 
even be sure would clear 
him — or taking a prep year, 
Hawkins chose the latter. 
His coaches at Camden High 
School helped him look for 
a new school that he could 
attend 
before 
arriving 
at 

Michigan as a member of the 
2017 class.

Suffield Academy, led by 

head coach Drew Gamere, 
quickly stood out as an option.

“I’d been in contact with 

one of the coaches and I 
think they felt like Brad could 
benefit from an extra year 
anyway,” Gamere told The 
Daily in July. “We had Brad on 
campus, and he just struck me 
right away as a great kid. Very 
humble and eager to learn and 
develop his skills — football 
being one of them, but then 
everything else that comes 
with it. The study skills in the 
classroom, all that stuff.”

In 
initial 
conversations, 

Gamere sensed Hawkins was 
disappointed he wouldn’t be 
able to enroll at Michigan as 
planned. But that emotion, 
according to Gamere, quickly 
turned to excitement once 
Hawkins 
visited 
Suffield’s 

campus and met his future 
teammates and coaching staff.

Gamere 
himself, 
of 

course, was excited for the 
opportunity to coach a player 
of Hawkins’ caliber — and 
personality.

“He was a pleasure to work 

with and very coachable, and 
I think that for us, it was 
the most important thing,” 
Gamere said, “because you 
don’t always get that with 
the guys that are the most 
talented.”

Gamere witnessed Hawkins 

continue 
to 
develop 
on 

the field as he recorded 51 
receptions for 868 yards and 
11 touchdowns. But the coach 
also saw personal growth from 
his new star — something that 
Jim Harbaugh quickly became 
aware of, as well.

“When 
Coach 
Harbaugh 

visited here, he said to us that 
he couldn’t believe how much 
Brad had grown,” Gamere 
said. “He had gone from this 
kid that didn’t really say much 
and was shy and didn’t talk 
much, to a guy that was giving 
Coach Harbaugh a tour and 
was as popular as anybody on 
campus.”

Things 
never 
wavered 

between 
Michigan 
and 

Hawkins, and he finally made 
his way to Ann Arbor this past 
summer. He’s appeared in 
several games thus far, mostly 
on special teams as a kick 
returner.

When 
asked 
whether 

his 
prep 
year 
gave 
him 

an 
advantage 
over 
other 

freshmen, Hawkins was non-
committal. That’s not to say it 
didn’t change him, though.

“It just gave me a better 

year academically, basically,” 

Hawkins said Tuesday night. 
“I got a lot stronger, I got more 
mature, so that helped.”

One of the biggest questions 

facing Hawkins was which 
position he would play in 
college. In high school, he 
did most of his damage on 
offense while moonlighting as 
a safety.

He’s 
still 
practicing 
at 

multiple spots. But right now, 
it appears Hawkins is closer to 
figuring things out.

“Right now, I’m playing 

VIPER,” he said. “VIPER and 
safety.”

Hawkins had already moved 

to the secondary entering the 
season. But he didn’t start 
repping at Michigan’s hybrid 
linebacker-safety 
position 

until 
around 
when 
the 

Wolverines played Air Force.

Hawkins recalled that it 

wasn’t his decision. One day, 
the coaches simply told him 
he’d be moving to VIPER.

For someone who already 

went through one position 
change, it would have been 
understandable had Hawkins 
faced his next move with 
trepidation. After all, another 
switch 
means 
more 
time 

learning the system, more 
time studying the playbook — 
and less of a chance to hit the 
field.

Hawkins, though, has made 

the move with enthusiasm.

“I think that’s where I 

can make my money at in 
the future,” Hawkins said. 
“We made the move, and 
everything feels comfortable 
right now.”

Hawkins admitted that he 

still has to get used to his new 
position. He says he was used 
to “hanging out in the middle 
of the field” as a safety and 
needs to improve his blitzing.

But, 
according 
to 
him, 

things are still going smoothly.

“Everything’s 
falling 
in 

place right now,” Hawkins 
said. “I’m just being patient 
and just waiting my turn.”

ORION SANG

Daily Sports Editor

